


Buggy Boggy

by ShivaeSyke



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Fairies, Supernatural Hunters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:49:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 72,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShivaeSyke/pseuds/ShivaeSyke
Summary: Bog was on a simple mission to retrieve a few medicines from the local human's medicine cabinet and a closed window puts an unexpected stop to his return home. Now, he's stuck with two human girls on a roadtrip he had no intentions of being on.**Added a prologue to the first chapter**
Relationships: Bog King/Marianne (Strange Magic), Dawn/Sunny (Strange Magic), Marianne & Roland (Strange Magic)
Comments: 60
Kudos: 87





	1. Splat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog has an incident with a closed window.

Prologue

I’ve done this many times. 

They leave the living room window open to allow the cool air inside overnight, and unlike most humans, they don’t have a screen over it . Not that a screen would stop me. As a Dragonfae, I’m skilled in getting in and out of places as well as evading detection. I can even make their little cameras malfunction if they have them, which is why I’m the one doing this and nobody else. Remaining undetected is essential to keep my people safe. 

I’ve been in this house enough times over the years to know them by name. The older sister’s name is Marianne, and she’s always on the move, working on this or that. And she’s angry, so very angry—all the time. I have never seen her smile unless she’s speaking to her little sister.  The younger sister  is named Dawn, and she is a lovely, sweet human who puts out food for all the different animals that visit their backyard . She also makes sure there is fresh water available in a little fountain. 

We keep track of who puts out food because we raid the feeders at night. Life in a suburb is not easy for us, but we thrive under my rule. Only tonight, I am late. I meant to sneak into their house before they woke.  My family and people needed me for far too much tonight, and now, I’ll get this little mission done and go home for breakfast, then go on with my day .

The house was a small one, backing up to a concrete creek. It’s easy to get in and out using the tall grasses to hide in. I’ve done this so many times.  Passed through the window, flown into their bathroom, used my staff to open the medicine cabinet, then opened the aspirin bottle and taken a couple of tabs .

I’ve done this many times.

Marianne left, and Dawn was still sleeping.  I thought I had plenty of time as I helped myself to the tabs, stuffed them into my bag, then closed the cabinet as  quietly as I could . For a moment, I studied myself in the glass. It wasn’t often I got such a good look, and I turned, examining my armor.

I might have also been admiring my wings because they were fresh from the spring molt, and I only had them a few days after a week of being grounded. They were perfect, without any holes or flaws, translucent and clear. That wouldn’t last long. Over the spring and into the summer, they would undoubtedly be damaged\--little holes, nicks, fraying edges marring them until they molted in the fall.

The sound of something sliding closed sent me up above the door, listening for the human. It appeared the younger girl was up, and my heart raced. I had watched them from the outer sill on occasion, but I  was trapped in the open and needed to get out fast.

The coast was clear when I flew through the door, heading for the window as fast as my wings could carry me. She would only see a blur, a large bug flying across her living room, nothing more. That’s what I told myself as I caught sight of her face. She saw me. There was no doubt.

The window was right there; the first rays of sunlight beckoning me through the opening. I sped up and didn’t know what hit me when I slammed into the glass and bounced off the window.

She had closed the window, cutting off my escape while I  was distracted in the bathroom.  The world flickered, whirling, edged in black spots, and then the pain struck me hard, a searing, burning sensation .  There was a plant beneath the window, a sprawling yucca with spiked leaves, and I slid down into it, dropping my staff, a wing catching  painfully beneath me .

I struggled, conscious long enough to see the human’s face loom over me, staring. Then she reached for me with a small hand, and everything went black.

I’ve done this many times.

But it never ended like this.

Chapter 1

Marianne stared at her phone as it lit up and buzzed. A text message flashed across the top of her laptop from her sister.

_Marianne! You need to come home! I caught the biggest, ugliest bug I’ve ever seen! It’s huge!_

There was a blurry photo attached to it, which had a vaguely buggy shaped thing on it in mottled browns and grey. Marianne squinted at the image, then took a sip of her latte. She sat in the back corner of a cozy little mom and pop coffee shop called Heaven Scent. It was her favorite spot to edit her little sister’s sappy romance books. Here, she wouldn’t have to endure the gushy romantic songs Dawn often played while she wrote.

People milled around, conversing and working on their laptops, but most ignored Marianne, and she peered over the top of her coffee cup at them. Surrounded by people, and she was about to carry on a conversation with her sister she knew was crazy. When Dawn got excited about something, she had to tell her all about it, and her sister got passionate about strange things.

Last week, it was a one-eyed alley cat stalking the squirrels on the bird feeder. The week before, the absolutely adorable mailman who flirted with her. Her mailman had to be at least sixty. Marianne’s phone buzzed again.

Another image popped up on her laptop, just as blurry as the first, Blurry browns and grey filled the screen with a buggish shape of plates and a glimmer of wings.

_Marianne! Please, come home and see him! He’s not really ugly. He’s kind of cute in a so ugly, he’s cute way. I think he’s a he. He has a deep voice._

Marianne stared at her laptop, making a face. Deep voice? What kind of weird flight of fancy was her sister going on? She waited too long to reply because another photograph arrived along with another text. This time, the photo was a tad bit clearer enough that Marianne gasped. A strange angular face stared back at her, with a grumpy expression and brilliant blue eyes flaring with an angry light out of dark recesses.

_Marianne, come home and see him._

*

Bog growled in frustration. How had he been so careless? Early that morning, he slipped inside the human’s house, who lived near his home on a simple mission to retrieve medicine from her medicine cabinet. It was a mission he had done many times in the past while she slept.

She woke up while he was in her bathroom, helping himself to several aspirins and allergy tablets. He had hidden on top of a pile of towels and watched her walk down the hall in jogging pants, and a t-shirt then made his move to get out before he risked capture. He flew with the small burlap bag held firm in one hand, his scepter in the other, heading for the open window as fast as he could fly.

He reached the living room window in moments and was startled by the girl coming out of her kitchen. The window was close enough he wouldn’t have any problems getting out, but it was likely she would see him. Still, he wouldn’t get caught physically.

Bog flew for the opening, and the next thing he knew, he hit a wall and bounced off with a loud crack. He couldn’t recall much of what happened, bouncing off the glass and into the spiky aloe vera plant beneath the window. She had closed the window. The horror of his situation fogged his remaining thoughts, followed by shooting pain though his wings and back as he crashed down one of the long stems, and the ridged side caught him.

There was no telling how much time had passed, but when he stirred, he found himself inside a glass box filled with a fake branch and leaves.

There was a small pool of water and a dish with leaves and twigs in it. It didn’t take Bog long to look around and realize he was trapped.

Hopelessly trapped by a human.

He got up and ran around the base of his glassed-in prison, searching for some way out. He attempted to use his wings only to find his entire left side mangled beyond repair, and the right was hardly any better. Still, he searched.

*

Dawn had been startled to see she left her living room window open when she got up to start a pot of coffee. Chiding herself for being careless, she closed and locked the window, then went to the kitchen. The human came back out again in time to see a huge bug-thing flying across her living room door. It was moving so fast, she took a step back and stared.

It hit the closed window with a loud crack, and Dawn gasped, watching the bug bounce off her window and land in the aloe vera. She rushed over to lift the bug out of the plant, startled to see how crumpled the wings were.

Cradling the ‘bug’ in her hands, she stared at him, unsure what to think. Everything about him said bug to her, except he had a very human-shaped build, a clearly defined face, and hands. Dawn lifted his arm, careful not to pull or twist. This thing was about the size of a large action figure, and had five-fingered hands at the ends of his arm, clawed and gnarled, but real hands. The feet were bizarre, and she wasn’t entirely sure what to do with him.

“Oh, you’re hurt so bad.” Dawn whimpered, rolling him to one side, looking his wings again. Then she noticed the tiny smudges of red on her palm and fingers from his broken wings and grimaced. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

Dawn walked over to a small table by her desk, where a three-foot-tall terrarium was setup. Its current occupant was a pretty little orange crested gecko she called Lizzie.

Hopefully, the creature in her hands wouldn’t hurt the lizard. Dawn considered it for a moment, laid Bog down on her desk, and pulled out a pencil. She flipped it around to use the eraser end to poke at his mouth, leaning in to see what kind of teeth he had.

Sharp, jagged teeth.

Dawn sat in her chair thoughtfully, then remembered she had a second, smaller terrarium that might work better for the injured creature. She picked Bog up and carried him to the kitchen, finding a small jar to sit him inside so she could set up the other terrarium, and he couldn’t get away.

*

And that’s where Bog woke up, in a two-foot-tall hexagonal aquarium next to the three-foot one holding a gecko. Then the girl saw he was awake and hurried over to lean next to the glass and tap it.

Bog was not amused and shook his fist at her at first, yelling a string of curses and pointing to what he thought was a door in the front of the glass prison. He heard her say something about a cute buggy and don’t worry, to which he shouted as loud as he could, “Bog! My name is Bog!”

She responded to that, repeating Bog with a tilt of her head.

“Bog!” He yelled back, motioning to himself. He walked to the glass door and hit it with his hands, then gestured with both hands. “Let me out!” Then he twitched his wings and crashed to his hands and knees as pain rippled through his back. Whatever happened when he fell, was severe enough, moving his wings too much was incapacitating.

Bog stared at the shavings at the bottom of the cage, getting his bearings and realizing he had made more than one mistake today. He looked at the girl out of the corner of his eye and saw she held a phone in her hand. That was just great.

Without another word, he fled into the fake foliage, attempting to hide as much as possible until he could think of a way to get out. While she was holding the phone, he would not come out. Hopefully, she would figure this out, and he could communicate the fact he needed to get out and hoped she wouldn’t tell anyone.

In any case, he was in severe trouble, and the longer he was confined, the worse things could get, especially if anyone else saw him. Escape was his number one priority, and he settled into the corner, growling and wincing at the pain in his back.

The girl kept talking to him, tapping the glass. Then she left and came back, looking for him. She had the phone every time, and the dread grew inside him. Bog went over his situation in careful detail. He could not fly, but the rest of his limbs seemed fine. Flexing his fingers, arms, and legs in turn, he made sure nothing else was hurt—only his wings.

Bog peered out from beneath the leaves, then crawled out while the girl was away, walking the base of the terrarium, looking at all the seams. The pool of water was in a slot that slid in and out. The human could change the water without opening the door. There was a narrow slit at the base of the terrarium. It was too narrow for Bog to fit through unless he wanted to snap off his shoulder pauldrons, and that was not an option.

The door appeared wide enough to get through if she opened it for any reason, but where would he go once he was out? It seemed he was high up off the ground, higher than he could safely jump. The girl returned with a small bowl, which she set in front of the terrarium. Bog remained in the open, seeing that she didn’t have the phone.

Here was his chance. He crouched, glancing at her hands and the door, ready to make a run for it and think about how he would get down afterward. The girl opened the door a crack, and Bog clenched and unclenched his hands, waiting.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Dawn scolded him through the small opening. “Stay in there. Where it’s safe.” She quickly opened the door, putting the bowl down inside the door as Bog launched himself forward with a low growl, hoping he could at least startle her not to try to stop him.

It didn’t work.

Dawn brushed him back with ease, moving faster than he expected. He attempted to catch himself with his wings and went down again with a howl. “Boggy,” Dawn whimpered, reaching out to put a finger beneath his chin. “Please don’t do that. I promise I’m not going to hurt you. See, there’s food.” Then she pulled her hand back and closed the door.

Bog glowered at her, glancing from the bowl to her expectant face. Another thought came to mind. If he couldn’t startle her, perhaps he could convince her he wouldn’t attempt to escape. With a resigned sigh, his plates retracted, laying flat, and his wings relaxed.

Inside the bowl was a pile of something that appeared to have been a sausage of some sort, pale pink, cut into small segments. Bog hopped on the edge of the bowl and kneeled to investigate. The girl’s shadow fell over him, and he looked up to see the phone in her hands again. Snarling at her continued insistence to photograph him, he fled back into the leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been stewing on this one for a while and it'll be the new Monday update! Hope you enjoy!


	2. Bugnapped!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne wasn't the only one who saw the video and Roland, her SelfieStick faux celebrity boyfriend has arrived to check out the creature.

“Dawn!” Marianne burst through the door, slinging her backpack onto the couch as she crossed the living room to where her sister was on her knees, holding her camera up to the edge of the glass on her old terrarium. Dawn looked up and yelped as Marianne snagged the camera from her hands and looked at it. 

There were videos.

Two had been posted and were getting all kinds of comments about if they were real or fake. Marianne inhaled deeply, looking over them, then deleting them. She kept Dawn’s phone in her hands, joining her in peering into the terrarium.

“He won’t come out,” stated Dawn mournfully, attempting to sneak the phone away from her sister.

“I don’t know what you caught, Dawn, but that’s not normal, and if it’s smart enough to talk, you shouldn’t be posting videos and photos until we know what it is.” Marianne waved Dawn’s phone in front of her. “No photos.” She set the phone down on the floor, then went back to peering into the fake foliage. “Where is it?”

“In the back corner, I think.” Dawn looked to her sister as she pulled open a drawer and pulled out a wood pencil. “What are you doing?”

“Well, let’s see if it’s a wild creature or something else.” Marianne opened the door, keeping her hand on the door.

“He,” sighed Dawn, “and he’s hurt. His wings are broken.”

The leaves rustled, and Marianne saw a clawed hand reach out and push them aside, revealing the two stunningly bright blue eyes she had seen before. They shone brightly in the shadows, warily regarding her.

“My sister says you talk.” Marianne kept her hand on the door, observing the creature’s eyes slowly looking from the open door to her hand.

“Leave the door open!” The voice was clear as he shouted at them. “I need to go!”

“But you’re hurt.” Dawn leaned her chin on the desktop. Marianne let the door fall closed, and he responded by storming out and slamming into it, hitting it with his fists and shouting. The enclosure muffled his words, but Marianne winced, understanding more than a few of his curse words.

Then he slumped forward against the glass, still hitting one fist on the door with a despondent moan. “Please, let me out. I need to go home.” He spoke as loudly as he could, looking from Dawn to Marianne. 

“What are you?” Marianne folded her arms on the desk, resting her head on them. “I’m going to let you go, but I want to know.”

“It’s not important. Pretend you never saw me. This was all a mistake.” Bog began gesturing with his hands, his face going through a myriad of expressions from annoyance to pleading on to sadness.

“Why were you in our house?” Marianne tapped the glass.

The creature scowled at her, then growled. “Medicine. Two aspirin tabs and two allergy pills.”

“Oh, you’re stealing from us? You little thief,” gasped Marianne with a smile, trying to lighten the conversation. “What are you?”

Bog smiled suddenly. “I’ll tell ye if you do something for me. I dropped my bag by the window when I fell, and I have a scepter, a staff taller than I am.”

“Okay, I’m Marianne, by the way, and this is my sister Dawn.” She stood, keeping her eyes on the fascinating creature. “Your name is Bog?”

“I am the Bog King,” sighed Bog. “It’s a title, not my name. As a tradition, we do not use our real names or give them to anyone.”

“You’re a little creepy, that’s why we’re not letting you out.” Marianne looked at her sister. “There aren’t more of you, are there?”

Bog made a face at being called ‘creepy’, giving her his best glower. “No,” he snarled. “I am the only one. Good for ye, isn’t it? I wouldn’t be in this mess if there were more of me.” He turned away, and Marianne winced, seeing the damage to his wings.

“I’ll see if I can find your things.” Marianne motioned for Dawn to follow her. “Where did you find him?”

“Oh, he flew into the window,” Dawn darted ahead of her sister, “and he fell into the aloe vera! That’s how his wings were broken.”

*

Bog pressed his face to the plexiglass surface, watching the two girls go to the window and search for his staff. That’s what he needed the most. With his staff, he could get out of his prison, and they wouldn’t be able to stop him from leaving.

He would vanish in seconds, on his way back home, never to step foot anywhere near this house again. There was a glint of metal as Marianne stood, holding his staff to the light, the center stone gleaming.

Marianne smiled, rolling the tiny staff between her fingers, while Dawn held the bag that held the pilfered medicine. They were returning when a loud dinging came from the front door. Bog watched in horror as Marianne slid his staff into her pocket, making a shooing motion to him as she stopped by the desk.

Dawn bounced by, heading to the door, and Bog groaned, retreating into the foliage. He was so close! From his hiding spot, Bog watched the door open, and another human entered the house. He gave an exasperated sigh as the door closed behind him, and he walked across the room, heading for Marianne. “Hey, sugarplum.” 

This new human was a tall male, one he had seen before, typically trying to step on anything that moved in the backyard. Bog watched in disgust as the very pretty male wrapped his arms around Marianne, hugging her, then kissing her sloppily.

It was bad enough he was a captive, but now he was forced to watch humans making out? 

“Roland, I wasn’t expecting you.” Marianne wriggled with a laugh, pushing the man back.

“I just thought I’d drop by and see what you were doing, honeybunch,” he crooned, and Bog rolled his eyes. Bog didn’t care much for humans, but this man was at the top of his list for being a loathsome fake. Couldn’t this ridiculous woman see that he … Roland’s eyes fixed on the terrarium, and Bog lept to the back.

Oh, no. Oh, no. This one knew he was here! It wasn’t difficult to figure out what happened. The same thing that brought Marianne home brought Roland following. Bog huffed, his plates rising in panic and anger. If this human got a hold of him, he was likely not to survive and would have to fight every inch of the way.

“Would you like some coffee, Roland?” Dawn bounced around cheerfully, casting nervous glances at the terrarium.

“Sure,” replied Roland jovially, running his hands up and down Marianne’s arms. “You know how I like it.” He turned his back to the terrarium. “I was thinking about inviting you on a trip this weekend, up to the family lodge.”

“Oh?” Marianne shifted from one foot to the other, clasping her hands behind her back. “I’ll finally get to meet your family?”

“Nah, I thought it would be great to get away, just the two of us,” Roland stated quickly, leaning over to slide a finger beneath Marianne’s chin. “We don’t need family around, getting in the way.”

“Okay.” Marianne nodded, her face flushing. 

“Oh, you know that camera I let you borrow? I need it back to get a video done.” Roland snapped his fingers like it had just occurred to him.

“Right.” Marianne pulled back, spinning on her heels. “I’ll be right back.” She began walking, and Roland followed, angling toward the terrarium. Bog stared in horror as Marianne vanished from view, and Roland peered inside, searching.

Bog held his breath, then the terrarium turned sideways, sending everything tumbling around him, exposing him. He caught a glimpse of Roland’s face, his broad smile, then his world became a blur of motion and pain. Bog rolled into the sides of the terrarium, the bowl and other loose decorations hitting him, water drenching him.

Thinking quickly, Bog made his wings relax to avoid further damage to the ones that were still intact, but the injured ones sent fire through his body as they were further torn and tangled in the debris.

The last thing Bog saw was the heavy dish tumbling toward him—then everything went dark.

*

“Roland!” Dawn shrieked in a panic, alerting Marianne something wasn’t right. She slung the camera bag over her shoulder and ran out of her room to see what had transpired in the whole minute she had been in her room.

“Dawn, what’s going on?” Marianne ran into the living room to see her sister gripping her face, staring at the door in horror.

“Roland took Bog!” Dawn screamed, motioning to the open front door.

Marianne glanced at the desk then took off after him, shouting, “Roland!” She ran out onto the front lawn in time to see his red Dodge Charge speeding down the street. “Roland!’ Marianne shouted again, despite knowing she wouldn’t be heard.

“Where’s he off to in such a hurry?”

Marianne turned to the voice, running her hands through her hair. “Sunny! Quick! I need your car!” 

Sunny stood next to his yellow Kia Seltos, the door open, as he had just stepped out of it. He stared at Marianne as she charged at him, spotting Dawn crossing the front yard as well.

“Why?” The tan-skinned young man blinked at Marianne, then dove into the car, realizing she meant business. “What is going on?!”

Marianne pushed in after him, and Sunny scrambled into the passenger seat as Dawn grabbed the handle to the back door and jiggled it, only to find it locked. Sunny cringed against the door, staring at the pair, his brown eyes wide at their odd behavior.

“If I tell you, you won’t believe me!” Marianne grabbed for the key, then realized Sunny had it. “Sunny.” She turned to him, leveling him with a stern gaze. “Key?”

Sunny grimaced and handed them over. He twisted around in the seat and jerked his seatbelt over his shoulder as Marianne jammed the key into the ignition and turned it far too hard. 

“Roland stole Bog!” Dawn cried from the backseat as the car jolted forward, screeching after Roland. 

Sunny cringed back against the seat, one hand going to the safety handle on the ceiling, the other bracing himself on the seat. “What’s Bog?”

“You’ll find out when we get him back!” Marianne replied with fierce determination, hitting the gas.

*

Roland laughed, giddy with excitement as he looked at his prize lying in the seat next to him. He had his phone out, broadcasting a live video, showing the world what he had.

“It’s an actual little creature!” Roland crowed, fumbling with the phone and driving at the same time. “When I get it home, I’ll get a better video! It’s so hideous!” And he laughed, ending the feed.

He couldn’t ask for better production value than a teasing image of the thing he now had in his possession. Roland knew his girlfriend’s sister had something real because she wasn’t the type to perpetrate hoaxes, and Marianne was too serious to waste time on such things.

Roland wasn’t sure what he was going to do to get the creature when he had entered the house, but the moment he caught a glimpse of it in the terrarium, something took over, and he found just the right moment to grab him and leave. 

Whatever it was, lay in full view on the bottom of the cage, unconscious and unmoving. But it didn’t matter if it were dead or alive. Either way, Roland would be famous and with all that fame came money, so much money. He would have any woman he wanted. Forget Marianne. She was entertaining in her way, but there were better women in the world.

Roland scowled, catching sight of a vehicle in his rearview mirror. He knew who it belonged to and smirked at the thought they could ever catch up to him in such a dumpy car. It was time to lose them and get to his studio at home, his parents’ house, not his own. 

Marianne was smart and would assume he went to his own house, but he had another thing coming for her. He wouldn’t risk a confrontation until he was safe behind a gate, and besides, he didn’t need her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bog is not having a good day.


	3. Chase!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne, Dawn, and Sunny give chase! They can't let Roland get away with their little fairy 'friend'!

“He’s going to his parents’ house,” stated Marianne, licking her lips with determination as she veered around a corner so fast the Seltos briefly went up on two wheels.

“Be nice to my car!” Sunny whimpered, cringing against the door.

“Marianne’s a good driver!” Dawn called out from the backseat, clinging to her seatbelt.

“You can say that about demolition drivers!” yelped Sunny, giving Marianne a panicked look. “I can’t afford another car, and I don’t walk everywhere like you do!”

“We have a car,” stated Dawn. “You know we do… it’s just in the shop.”

“My car doesn’t want to join it,” groaned Sunny as Marianne turned another corner far too fast. “What is going on? You can tell me.”

“Did you see the video I posted?” Dawn bounced in the backseat as the car struck a pothole. 

Sunny groaned, slapping a hand to his face. “That’s why I came over! I wanted to see what it was! I was in the middle of errands and stopped because it looked so awesome and real. I wanted to see how you faked it.” 

“Yes, well, he’s real, and he’s a buggy looking man who said his name was Bog,” Dawn began rattling out the story as Marianne concentrated on driving. “He was hurt, and I put him in a terrarium to keep him safe, and Roland came over, and he took him!”

“I don’t know what he is, but I don’t think the world should see him!’ Marianne scowled, running a red light, much to Sunny’s continued horror. “I just have this feeling that whatever he is, should remain secret and not end up in the spotlight.”

“Bog wasn’t happy about being in the terrarium,” whined Dawn sadly. “I don’t want anyone hurting him. He flew into a window and fell into my big aloe vera.”

“I know what Roland’s going to do,” groaned Marianne, running a yellow light awfully close to turning red. “He’s going to go onto his SelfieStick channel and show Bog to all his followers. Dawn, do you have your phone?”

“Yes!” Dawn replied, reaching into the deep hip pocket on her sweat pants.

“Great, go to Roland’s channel. He’s an idiot, and he will broadcast while driving.” Marianne slowed down abruptly, passing a police cruiser. Sunny slunk down further in his seat with a whimper.

A low whining noise came from Dawn as the video began. The only sound heard was Roland’s triumphant voice and the wheels of their car as Marianne sped up. “Can I see?” Sunny reached back for the phone, hitting replay on the video teaser. He stared at the screen, the small being in the shaky still and sighed, his brow furrowing in dismay.

“He’s real? This Bog?” Sunny handed the phone back to Dawn, who bobbed her head, her face contorted in despair.

“He’s hurt,” Dawn whispered, clutching her phone as she turned the sound down to watch the video again. “This was all an awful accident, and I should have let him go. I should have taken him outside and let him go instead of thinking I could help.” Dawn’s lower lip trembled, and the tears came, flooding over her face as she sobbed. “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have posted the videos or the pictures! I shouldn’t have put him in a terrarium! I should have let him go! I just wanted to help!”

“Dawn!” Marianne snapped. “We’re going to get him away from Roland and let him go, okay? We’ll take care of this. It wasn’t your fault. You just thought you were helping an injured animal.”

“I’ll help,” stated Suny, giving Dawn an encouraging smile. “Whatever he is, he doesn’t deserve to end up in a cage in some laboratory.”

“Thanks, Sunny.” Marianne smiled at him as they rounded another bend, the sound of screeching brakes filling the air. Sunny grimaced, turning his attention to the side window.

###

“Open the gate, password Perfection,” Roland chuckled, pleased with himself as he leaned back and slowed the Charger down. His smug smile vanished, spotting a way too familiar brown car backed up against the now open gate entry. Roland’s face paled as he swerved and drove by, spotting Marianne’s face in the driver’s seat, glaring at him with intent. He hit the gas, taking off past his parent’s home, now in a panic. The thought of circling the block and trying again came to him.

No, that wouldn’t do. Roland took off for home, determined to get there, and locked inside his house before Marianne could reach him. His phone rang, and he answered it without thinking.

“Where are you going, Roland?” Marianne’s voice filled the car, icy, cold, sinister. He grimaced and almost shut it off, then realized he could goad her as long as she was speaking to him and maybe slow her down. “You need to stop and hand over what you stole from us.”

“Why would I want to do that?” Roland replied with a smirk, thinking of the many ways he could trigger her into a rage. “What were you going to do with it? The same thing I am?”

“No,” hissed Marianne. “You need to let us take it so we can let it go. What you’re doing is wrong.”

“What?” Roland laughed. “How is it wrong? This thing is just a new animal that’s never been seen before! The word needs to see it!”

“No, Roland!” Dawn screamed from the background. “Please, Roland, he’s hurt!”

“Looks fine to me,” Roland said, glancing at the passenger seat. The creature hadn’t moved from where lay, but he was sure it was still breathing. Then he returned to the fact it didn’t matter if it was alive or dead. Either way, he had this bizarre humanoid creature in his possession, and possession was nine-tenths of the law.

“Of all the selfish, pigheaded… you sack of-” Roland laughed, ending the call, knowing how much Marianne hated being hung up on.

###

Marianne scowled at the steering wheel, having not moved from where they sat. She was breathing hard, her cheeks red, eyes fixed on the dashboard.

“Uhm, Marianne?” Sunny ventured warily. “Shouldn’t we be following him?”

“He’s going to his condo,” she replied in a hoarse whisper, her anger barely under control. “I want to make sure he doesn’t come back here because I know where he hides the key to his condo, but don’t have any idea where a key is to his parent’s house.” The gate rolled back into place behind them, and everyone sat in silence for a few minutes longer.

Satisfied Roland was not doubling back, Marianne turned the car on and took off, a little slower than usual. The intense look on her face deepened as her thoughts went to that little humanoid creature. His eyes remained in her thoughts, those shining blue eyes which did not belong in the hard, chiseled face with broken teeth, sharp nose, and pointed chin covered in strange prickly like thorns that looked suspiciously like rose thorns. 

She had only looked at him for a few minutes, astonished by the creature, noting his features were woodier than truly bug-like. His wings were like those of a dragonfly, and the more she thought about him, the more it came to her that this creature, this Bog King, was a fairy and a king?

Marianne took a deep breath, and Sunny began talking, “What’s the plan, Marianne? Do you have a plan? Because we need a plan. A really good plan.”

“Stop saying the word plan,” groaned Marianne, glaring at him. “I do not have a plan, but we don’t need one, this is Roland, and he’s an idiot!”

“But what are we going to do when we get to his condo?” Dawn spoke up from the back seat. “Also, Marianne, I think I have something you should see.”

“Not now, Dawn. Driving.” Marianne scowled.

“It’s important,” whispered Dawn. “I think it’s very, very important.”

“Then tell me what it is. I don’t have to see it,” Marianne tried not to snap or sound irritated, but she was in a state of panic and trying not to allow any cracks in her resolve to get this done and as quickly as possible.

“Someone sent me a message offering me a million dollars for Bog,” whimpered Dawn.

The car’s tires squealed as Marianne slammed on the brakes and swung it to the side of the road. Thankfully, there was no one behind them. “Let me see that!” Marianne reached back for Dawn’s phone, and she handed it over readily. 

“Why?” Marianne gasped, seeing the message on Dawn’s phone. It said, If you still have this creature, I will give you a million dollars in exchange for him. Cash. It will receive the best care and placed in a safe place. Delete all the videos and photos. Respond with a yes and where you want to meet to make the exchange. I am on my way to your city and can meet you in an hour.

“What does it say?” Sunny asked, staring at Marianne. “Can I see?”

“It says, we have to get to Roland get Bog away from him in an hour because I’m willing to be this person has seen his video and made the same offer.” Marianne sighed, handing the phone to Sunny. She glanced at her mirror, then took off again, pressing down hard on the gas. “I don’t care about the money, the fact someone wants Bog that bad is not a good thing. They’re going to stick him in some sort of pen, I just know it!”

“Yeah,” stated Sunny in agreement, handing the phone back to Dawn. “Imagine what they would do to him, stick him in a tiny little cage where he can never leave.”

“He didn’t seem that social,” grumbled Marianne, “but he said he was a king. The Bog King.”

“Oh.” Sunny’s brow furrowed at the words, and his face paled. “A King. If he’s a king, that means he has people, and if he has people, they are not going to be happy that he’s missing. They will look for him.”

“Ugh, he said he was the only one.” Marianne glanced at Sunny, then put her attention back on the road.

“How can he be a king if he doesn’t have people who serve him?” Sunny pointed out, leaning back against his seat. “That doesn’t make sense. Anyway, let’s get to Roland’s house, form a plan, and get him out.”

“I have a plan.” Marianne smiled. “If you’re going to help us, this is what we’re going to do.” She began talking, and Dawn and Sunny leaned in to listen. 

###

Roland was relieved to drive up to his condo and see no sign of Marianne. The garage door opened and he drove inside, closing it behind him. Cackling with glee that he had beaten Marianne to his home, he reached over and grabbed the terrarium. It had tipped over at some point during the journey.

“Oh, no.” Roland scowled, seeing that the top had fallen off on the floor. He grabbed it and looked inside the terrarium, hoping the creature hadn’t woken and escaped.

The terrarium was empty.

Roland took a deep breath, staring inside the void as though the animal would mysteriously reappear inside. Realization washed over him that he was trapped inside his car with a strange creature, and he was going to have to figure out where he went and get him back in the terrarium before getting out of the car.

He swore, setting the terrarium on the seat. There were few places the little monster could hide in the Charger. Beneath the two front seats. Roland would have to flush him out and grab him, which meant he would likely get bitten or clawed.

Grimacing, Roland first looked into the backseats and seeing nothing, took a breath, and reached beneath the passenger seat, groping around and grabbing for anything that felt like a stick. 

There was nothing.

Maneuvering in the front seat was difficult, but Roland managed to get into the passenger seat, moving the terrarium onto the floor with the lid next to it. He took another deep breath and leaned over to snake a hand beneath the driver’s side seat.

Again, he found nothing. Roland sat up with a resigned grumble, thinking about how he was going to fish the creature out without opening a door. He turned his head and only saw a flash of ashy gray coming at him, flying off the top of the driver’s seat.

Bog hit Roland in the face, slapping at him with a snarl, going for his eyes, but the human responded by recoiling and batting him away viciously. Bog went flying with a yelp, smacking into the windshield.

Roland wasted no time, grabbing at him with a frustrated growl. Bog snarled in return, getting to his feet, preparing to put up a fight. He danced over the dash, across the steering wheel, and leaped onto the back of the driver’s seat.

Fumbling around trying to get to him, Roland’s elbow hit the horn, and it blasted so loud that Bog failed in his jump to the back of the other chair. Roland smacked a hand down on top of him, and Bog sunk his teeth into flesh.

With a howl, Roland clapped his other hand around Bog, squeezing, which had no effect, since the little fairy was encased in tough armor. “You’re going to pay for this!” Roland shouted, pushing both hands down toward the terrarium, knocking Bog loose.

The small creature hit the floor of the terrarium and rebounded, snapping and clawing at Roland as he hit the top of the open terrarium. Roland yelped, holding one hand over the top as he reached for the lid with the other.

Bog almost got his hand caught in the lid when Roland jerked his hand free, snapping the cover in place over the top. Roland swore, pressing his uninjured hand over the lid to secure it. His other hand was scratched up and had been bitten several times.

“Hopefully, you don’t carry rabies,” stated Roland, tilting the rearview mirror to look at his face. There were four long scratches on his forehead and over his nose where Bog had clawed him. “These better not scar,” he moaned, tilting his head to examine the damage.

Roland’s phone began buzzing, and with a scowl, he retrieved it, glancing at the message on the screen. His face lit up, opening it to read a very enticing offer. He quickly responded, then pocketed his phone, grinning at Bog.

“You’re going to make me a very rich man, you little monster.” He laughed, reaching down to lift the terrarium carefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have written twelve chapters of this chaos now and it just....gets... worse.. the longer it goes on. :D It's so darn funny and ridiculous! :D


	4. Boggy Revealed!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne breaks into Roland's house to free his tiny captive.... and ends up with a far larger problem on her hands in more ways than one!

Unlike with the girls, Bog put up no effort to talk. Instead, he acted like a fierce, feral creature. When he came to, seeing the lid open and his way out right there, he took it. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to go. The overwhelming stench of the human male surrounded him as the car shook and made far more noise than necessary.

He hoped attacking Roland would make him open the door, so he could escape into a more suitable area to hide, but wasn’t so lucky. In any case, Bog held a smug satisfaction at scratching up the human and hoped he wouldn’t catch any weird diseases from biting him. Who knows what kind of contagions a nasty male like him carried.

Now, he prowled around the inside of the terrarium, trying to keep hidden behind debris with little luck. Most of the fake foliage laid on the floor, and everything was now a soggy, stinking mess. Bog propped up a few artificial plants and sat beneath them, keeping an eye on Roland as he sat with a laptop on his neatly made bed.

The terrarium had been placed on a dresser where Roland could keep an eye on it. Bog paid attention to the layout of the house as they walked through it and up a short flight of stairs to the second floor. 

Bog watched the human, who seemed very excited about something. This situation had gone from bad to awful to a dystopian nightmare in less than an hour. The lid was too heavy for him to move, and without his wings, escape was impossible.

He had one hope—that his previous captors, the two girls were coming from him. Bog heard the phone call- and that human girl, Marianne, wanted to get him back and free him. And he smiled at the thought because there was no reason for that human to want to help him, none at all.

The memory of her intense voice over the phone rang through his thoughts, and his smile broadened—what a fierce woman.

###

“We’re wasting too much time.” Dawn fretted, checking her phone for the time. They were parked in the alley a few houses down from Roland’s condo.

“I told you, if we don’t do this right and time everything, Roland will see me coming.” Marianne opened the driver’s side door. “Let’s go. Sunny will call us when the delivery driver arrives.”

Dawn slipped out of the car, and Marianne tossed her the keys. “Remember the plan, when we get the call, you will run back to the car and drive it to the back door to pick me up.”

“What if you have to go out the front door?” Dawn fidgeted with her phone, giving her sister a worried look.

“Well, then I’m going to have to run, aren’t I?” Marianne grumbled. “I’ll get back to the alley. Roland will chase me if he sees me. If you see him and not me, drive around the block.”

“And Sunny? What about Sunny?” Dawn’s worry was written all over her face. “We can’t leave him.”

“We’ll drive around the block and get him.” Marianne sighed, stopping at the edge of the fence. “Roland has so many stupid cameras.” She grimaced. “And yet he always wondered why I wouldn’t spend the night.”

“Too much information, Marianne.” Dawn leaned against her, one hand on her sister’s shoulder. Her phone buzzed, and she sighed, looking at the screen. “Delivery driver just pulled up. Get ready.”

Marianne prepared, crouching next to the edge of the fence. “Have to time this as close as possible.”

“He’s walking to the door.” Dawn kept her eyes on her phone. “Front door. Ringing.”

“Who is it?” Marianne whispered. “He’ll take a moment, talking, going, I didn’t order any pizzas. Delivery guy, it’s a gluten-free cheese pizza with no sauce. Roland hmmed, thinking about it. That’s his favorite thing. I’m going to go get it.” She took a deep breath. “Now, Dawn, go!”

“Right!” Dawn pocketed her phone, turning to run down the alley back to the car as her sister took off for the back of the house.

Marianne unlatched the gate and let herself inside, heading for the back door. She stopped at a little rock by the door, kicking it over to reveal a little key box. Snatching it up, she slid it open, tossed the box, then went to the door, carefully sliding the key into the hole, then holding the doorknob as she turned it.

The door opened without a sound, and Marianne stood for a moment, listening. Roland was talking to the pizza guy, and she had to be fast. She slipped through the door, closed it quietly behind her, then moved as fast as she dared across the kitchen to the door that led into the hall on the other side. There were two doors. One went to the living room, the other to the hallway that led to Roland’s guestroom.

“Mm, my favorite.” Marianne heard Roland talk to himself as he passed by the other end of the hall and into the dining room. She slipped through the door and tiptoed down the hall and hit the stairs, careful of a squeaky step on the bottom.

Roland was such a predictable idiot. He couldn’t stand to eat any food out of a cardboard box like the ‘common’ people. No, he had to put it on a ceramic plate and use a knife and fork to eat it. So obnoxious, but at this time, a good thing.

Marianne smiled, reaching his bedroom. The door was open, and she spotted the terrarium on the dresser. She darted across the room, pushed the window open next to it, not caring about noise now. The window looked out on the front yard.

Next, she spun on her heels, grabbed the terrarium, and opened Roland’s bathroom door to slip inside. He had heard the sound of his window opening, and his footsteps pounded up the steps. This was all part of the plan, and Marianne grinned to herself, pulling the door closed.

She leaned her back against the door and pulled the lid off the terrarium. Bog stood on the bottom, looking up at her. Without hesitating, she reached inside to retrieve him, because it would be a lot easier to carry him.

“Do ye have my staff?” Bog clung to her hand, looking her in the eyes as she held him. 

“Marianne!” On the other side of the door, Roland snarled and leaned out the window, shouting.

Marianne nodded, reaching into her pocket and producing the small metal staff. She held it out to Bog, unsure why he was asking for it at a time like this. It wasn’t like he could use it to fight. Roland could be heard running across the bedroom to the hall.

Before she could stop him, Bog growled and jumped from her hand. “Doras sìthiche!” Marianne gasped, then clapped her hands over her mouth.

Bog hit the floor with a thud, at least, his shoes did. Military-style lace-up black leather boots were the first thing Marianne saw as he turned to her. Well worn blue jeans, faded and worn at the knees, covered long slender legs. Her eyes traveled to a black t-shirt featuring a faded cover band Marianne had never heard of. Pulled over that was a black bomber jacket that looked like it had come out of another era.

She only had a moment to look any further as Bog reached out with a now very human, long-fingered hand to grab her by the shoulder and push her aside. His features were human, but still held the air of something not entirely of the human world. His cheekbones were sharp, nose pointed a little too much, and gleaming blue eyes shielded by heavy black eyebrows.

Instead of the leaves he had before—jet black hair swept over his head. Bog’s lip curled as he looked at Marianne, down on her, because he was a good foot taller than she was. “I’m going to teach that little shite some manners.” He snarled, reaching for the doorknob. 

Marianne hesitated, then grabbed for him. “No, come on, we have to get out of the house, now!” 

Bog huffed, staring at her, clearly furious as a tremor ran through his body. “He can’t get away with this.”

“It’s more important to get you out of the house,” Marianne whispered, dropping her hand over his hand that was still on the doorknob.

He took a breath and pulled the door open, jerking his hand out from under hears. “I don’t need yer protection.” Bog stormed across the room, making an incredible amount of noise as Marianne cringed behind him.

In seconds, her carefully laid out plan had fallen apart, however, looking at the human version of Bog, she felt confident he was about to visit a world of deserved pain on Roland. She almost felt sorry for him, and oh wow, her eyes traveled down Bog’s backside, eyeing first the rampaging tiger printed on the back of his jacket down to his very well shaped narrow rear.

No, Marianne, you idiot! She smacked a hand to her forehead. This is the same little bug man she saw a few minutes earlier. The man stalking before her, exuding primal power with each step, was not real. He had to be an illusion. Actual magic.

Her brown eyes widened, and she began chewing on a nail at the thought. They were on the stairs, and Bog ran down them, his boots hitting each step loud enough Roland surely heard.

Magic.

Marianne gasped, running after him. Roland came into view, his jaw-dropping in shock as Bog’s foot hit the bottom step. The inhuman roar that came from Bog sent a streak of fear through Marianne as he launched himself at Roland, a fist raised to deliver a blow right into his face.

“Oooh.” Marianne winced as Roland flew across the room and smashed into the far wall. Bog began advancing, his fists clenched at his side as Roland moaned and groggily ran his fingers over his face.

“No!” Marianne slammed into Bog’s back, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the front door. “Let’s go! Now!”

Bog growled, regarding her for a moment, then nodded. Sneering, Bog looked down on Roland, then spat on him as a parting gift. “Don’t mess with things ye don’t understand.” He went with Marianne, heading to the front door instead of the Back.

“Sunny!” Marianne called out as they walked through the front door, her hand still on Bog’s arm. “Text Dawn to come to the front!’

“Okay!” Sunny called out from the sidewalk, where he had been hiding behind a hedge. “Who’s that?”

“It’s Bog.” Marianne held onto his arm, tighter than she intended.

“Wow, he got big.” Sunny texted, stepping away from the hedge. “Where’s Roland?”

“Sitting on his living room floor,” said Marianne, rolling her eyes.

A black van rolled down the street and parked in front of Roland’s house, a woman at the wheel. She glanced through the window, tilting her head with a frown. Then she opened the door and stepped out, just as Dawn drove up behind her.

“Into the car,” whispered Marianne, trying to pull the towering giant of a man with her.

“Hold on there,” the woman called out to them, running a hand through her curly black hair. She wasn’t a big woman, shorter than Marianne, but her tone was commanding.

“We need to go!” Marianne didn’t like the woman one bit. She was dressed all in black and looked like she had walked out some bizarre sci-fi movie, outfitted in what looked like armored plating, and a long black cloak pulled over her body.

Sunny ran around to the front passenger side, sliding into the seat. Marianne reached for the back passenger door to get Bog inside. He appeared fixated on the woman, her threatening demeanor making his muscles tense beneath her hand.

“Dezvălui!” the woman shouted, swinging her hand toward Bog, and before Marianne’s eyes, his shape fell away, increasing in height as his form shifted into a full-sized version of his tiny form, covered in ash grey scaling. In surprise, she pulled her hand back, gasping, and stepping away.

Bog looked at his hands in dismay, turning them over, then he looked to Marianne, his jaw dropping as though every hope he had was extinguished. The anger faded from his blue eyes, replaced by increasing sadness and despair as his entire body heaved, plates rising and sliding over each other.

“Are you really going to help that monster?” The woman called out to them, advancing closer, her hands up. “He’s a fairy, a Dragonfae, and I’m just going to take him someplace safe.”

“No,” Bog whispered, turning his gaze to the woman, backing away from her. “I need to go home.”

“We have a new home for you.” The woman smiled, and Marianne made a decision, grabbing Bog’s armored arm, pulling him with her to the back of the Seltos.

“I know where he belongs!” Marianne yelled, opening the rear hatch and motioning to Bog to get inside. He stared at her dubiously as she ran to the driver’s side passenger door and popped it up. “Sunny, lower the seat!”

The woman glared at them as Sunny hopped out of the car and opened the back door to put down the seats. “He’s a monster,” she stated simply. “He could even turn on you and eat you. Don’t trust him.”

“I would not!” Bog retorted, climbing into the back of the car quickly, folding himself up into the cramped space.

“I’m offering a million dollars for him.” The woman took a step toward them, and Marianne scowled at her, slamming the hatch closed. “That’s a lot of money, and it’s yours. Just stop. You’re only delaying the inevitable.

“No,” snarled Marianne running back to the side door. She opened it and stared inside at how little space there was. Bog was on his side, facing her, his shoulders rising to the ceiling, legs curled tightly beneath him.

He sighed and shifted, holding up an arm and Marianne dove into the car, pulling the door closed with some effort before squirming her way into a half-reclining position against Bog.

“Don’t you dare bite me,” she hissed as Dawn hit the gas, and they jerked out onto the road. 

“I don’t bite,” snorted Bog, curling an arm around Marianne’s waist to keep her from slamming into his knees or armored shoulders. She leaned on him, her hands clutching at the overlapping scales. 

“Thank you,” Bog whispered, before falling silent.

“Now what?” Marianne sighed, slipping down to a more comfortable position, rolling onto her side to put her back to him. “Can you change back?”

“She forced me to expend energy,” grumbled Bog, his voice lowering. “I didn’t have a lot, to begin with.” His arm relaxed around her, and Marianne bit her lower lip, looking at the front seat. 

Dawn’s face was panicked, reflected in the rearview mirror. Sunny twisted around in the seat, meeting her eyes, “So, he’s not going to be able to return to his normal size for at least twelve hours.”

“What?” Marianne scrunched up her face, staring at Sunny.

“I, uh, know a few things,” squeaked Sunny.

Marianne glared at him. “More than us, huh?”

“A little more,” he replied, turning around. “I’ll explain when we get back to your house.”

Marianne frowned, a clawed hand hanging loosely over her waist. She stared at it, so alien, so capable of doing massive amounts of damage with those nasty cracked nails. 

Yet, her back was to his chest, and she felt the beating of his heart against her, slow and steady. His soft breathing fell over her hair and as dangerous as he looked, she didn’t get the sense he would harm her or Dawn.

“I hope I made the right choice,” Marianne muttered to herself as the car jolted beneath them. “Get us home, Dawn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did the thing and it made me sad. So I thought I'd post another chapter of Boggy to cheer me up! Enjoy!  
> And also, come visit me and the others on Discord! https://discord.gg/yCNDxze I hang out there frequently.


	5. Sunny's Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunny has a secret! A very important secret.

Bog fought the blanket of sleep as it folded over him, warm and comfortable, beckoning him to slip into unconsciousness. In the passage from fairy to human, he expended a lot of energy, far more than he wanted to, but it couldn’t be helped. Plus, he wanted to lay into Roland for what he had done to him. The human had to pay.

Rage overcame reason, but after one hit, visiting rightful wrath on the pretty human’s face, his thoughts became clear. Marianne was right--they needed to leave. Bog swore at himself for his stupidity and ego. He should have let it go and fled.

He knew exactly what was going on when the strange woman uttered those words that struck away his human form, reverting him to what he really looked like. Even though he didn’t expect it or know he could do it, there had been stories that once, in ancient times, his kind had roamed at their full size as creatures to terrify the humans. But now, they clung to the old ways, because it allowed them to live free, at least, until women like this one showed up.

A fairy hunter.

Someone who knew a lot about fairies and captured them to sell for the highest price and his kind, they were crafty and because they lived in colonies, rarely wandered far from home. They had remained undetected for centuries.

She changed him, and Bog was certain the humans would not help him, and he needed their help. He only had a few minutes, and he knew it, so did the hunter. She forced his energy to power the change, and he was exhausted by it. 

He thought they would abandon him.

Why not? To a human, he was monstrous, towering, frightening… hideous. At any other time, he wouldn’t have cared what they thought of him, but he needed them. He didn’t want to admit it to himself, but he did. When he realized he had changed and looked at Marianne, he saw the glimmer of fear in her eyes.

Then, she touched him, her warm little hand closing on his arm, not even able to wrap halfway over it, and she pulled him without reservation. She had no idea how powerful that simple gesture was, accepting him for what he was.

Marianne had to trust him, even as he saw the reluctance in her eyes. Of course, even if she wanted to help, he was still frightening, and she did not know him any more than he knew them. Even though he lived nearby, in the greenbelt bordering their backyards, he had kept away from them, regarding humans as a necessary evil as neighbors.

Selfish, self-indulgent creatures without a care for anything outside their little box homes and glowing entertainment cubes. Yet, she ended up in his arms, pressed up against his body, closer than any female outside of his mother had ever been to him.

Her softness was not lost on him as he tried to avoid harming her, unsure of just how delicate her skin might be. He could not accidentally hurt her after she stood up for him and saved him. Then sleep came, and he passed out to bizarre dreams he had never had in his life.

Marianne’s gleaming brown eyes dominated his sleep, intensely focused, determined, filled with a fire he could not describe. She didn’t know him, yet, she did what she did to protect him—a stranger. Worse yet, a frighteningly scary stranger who should have been able to take care of himself.

###

“Start talking, Sunny.” Marianne took one of Bog’s hands, turning it over in-between her much smaller hands. It dwarfed her hand, long gnarled fingers covered in thick, dense skin. Tough calluses marred his palms, their leathery texture pliable and warmer than she expected.

“He’s a fairy, and that woman is a fairy hunter,” Sunny began talking, his eyes locked on Dawn as she drove away from the house. “They catch fairies and sell them to collectors and Bog, well, he’s rare. A million dollars is a fraction of what she is going to sell him for.”

“I just learned fairies are real a couple of hours ago, and now you’re telling me people collect them? Like butterflies?!” Marianne’s eyes popped open with the horrifying thought of Bog, in his smaller form, pinned to a display board and stuck on a wall.

“No, they keep them alive in little pens like pet lizards.” Sunny sighed, slumping down in his seat, gripping the seatbelt in his hands.

“But he’s a person,” gasped Marianne, tightening her fingers around Bog’s hand.

“Yes, but that doesn’t matter when they aren’t supposed to exist,” said Sunny. “That and he’s a Dragonfae, and if he is a king, well… then he’s also a weapon to be studied, and the Pentagon would love to get their hands on him.”

Marianne groaned. “No, no, no. Sunny, please tell me we didn’t just end up on the government’s most-wanted list? We just wanted to help him.”

“Yes, and no.” Sunny slunk further down.

“What does that mean?”

“That fairy hunter is going to follow us, and she’s going to call back up to help her get Bog. He’s in no shape to fight, and they will get him.” 

“This is ridiculous! Bog’s a living person! He doesn’t want to be in a cage!” Marianne went silent, thinking about Sunny’s words. “How do you know all of this?”

“Because I’m a fairy hunter too,” whispered Sunny, grimacing as Dawn glanced at him.

“You want to take Bog too?” Dawn’s hands tightened on the wheel, her knuckles turning white. “Why would you do that?”

“It’s not the same reason!” Sunny exclaimed. “I came as soon as I saw the video to make sure you released him! I rescue fairies and try to keep them from getting caught…” He trailed off and mumbled so low Marianne almost didn’t hear him, “because they’re my people.”

“What?” Both Marianne and Dawn shrieked at him. The Seltos swung to one side, and Dawn yelped, jerking the wheel to bring it back between the lines.

“I’m a fairy,” stated Sunny with a deep, resigned sigh. “Not like him. I don’t have a colony, and I’ve lived among humans for most of my life. I was captured when I was a child.”

“That’s awful,” whimpered Dawn.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” said Sunny bitterly. “You can’t take him home. We have to keep driving.”

“Where are we going to go?” Marianne demanded an answer. “How long is he going to be out?”

“This is the first time I’ve had this happen! It’s a lot easier to hide a five-ounce fairy than it is a 200 pound one!” Sunny replied, throwing his arms in the air. “I don’t know why he did something so stupid!”

“I need to go home,” Marianne said with a sigh. “I don’t even have my driver’s license, my phone… cash.”

“Okay, here’s the plan.” Sunny glanced at Marianne. “You are going to drop me off at my house and drive around the block, wait a few minutes, then stop in front of my house, and I’m taking over driving from there. If you see anyone, drive away and come back later.”

“Are we really doing this?” Dawn turned the Seltos down an unfamiliar street. “We’re just going to take a giant buggy fairy on a random road trip?”

“Why not,” groaned Marianne. “I obviously didn’t have anything else planned for my life.”

“Great!” squealed Dawn, “Suggestions for what we need to pack?”

“Bring your phones. Well, keep them off and remove the sim cards. Grab any cash you have, a change of clothes, ids, credit cards, passports-” 

“Passports?!” shrieked Marianne. “We aren’t leaving the country, are we?!” 

“Hopefully not.” Sunny sighed. “But we should be prepared for anything.”

“But his home is here,” pointed out Marianne. “Somewhere.”

“Oh, it wouldn’t be Bog that would be traveling,” chuckled Sunny. “You see, we need to buy him time, and the best way to do that is to lead the hunters on a wild goose chase. That’s why we’re going to need phones and credit cards too.” Then he frowned and closed his eyes, uttering a single swear word, the first time Marianne had heard him swear in their years of living near each other.

“What is it?”

“We have to get Bog home as soon as possible, because wherever he came from? Every single fairy who lives there is in danger. They need to be warned,” Sunny said. “If Roland tells them where you live, oh, this is going to be awful.” Sunny suddenly brightened up. “However, because they already know we have Bog, they will focus most of their manpower on getting to him.”

“Lucky us,” moaned Marianne. “This just keeps getting better and better.” She sighed, turning her attention to Bog’s hands again. They were monstrously large, with long cracked nails, and he was so big it was hard to not think of him as being dangerous, yet that look he had given her. It wasn’t the look of a primal animal, but that of a calculating individual who realized he was in trouble and needed help.

Bog asked for her help, without saying a word, because he didn’t believe she would give it to him. He was dangerous and had hit her boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, with so much force it was frightening, but he had not sent any of that her way, because she had done nothing but try to help him.

“Don’t make me regret this,” whispered Marianne.

###

Ten minutes later, Dawn pulled the car to a stop in front of Sunny’s home. He reached over to unclasp his house key off the key chain, and then jumped out and ran to his house while Dawn took off around the block.

Sunny dove inside his house as quickly as he could, knowing exactly what to do. It would take only a few minutes to gather his things because he had a packed bug-out bag in his hall closet. He just needed his laptop and maybe a bag of snacks.

This was an emergency, and he had procedures running through this head. There was just one problem. Nobody knew a lot about Dragonfae. They were elusive because they lived in colonies and never wandered far from home. That fact meant there was a colony somewhere within a mile of his house.

Sunny left a message for his parents to come to his home and attempt to signal the colony. They weren’t fairies, but they could, at a minimum, search for the colony and perhaps frighten them into moving to a safer place before the real danger arrived.

Unfortunately, that would separate Bog from his people, if they moved. They would discuss this when he woke. Sunny gathered his things in a duffel bag, grabbed the backpack, and stepped out the door to see Dawn pulling the car to the front of his house.

Dawn hopped out, and Sunny opened the back door to slide his bag and backpack onto the floorboard, then slid into the driver’s seat. Marianne had to carefully work her way out of Bog’s arms, then walked around to the front of the car to place her hands on the hood.

“Sunny.” She took a moment to glare at her neighbor through the windshield, her eyes locked on his hard enough to make him squirm. “You will not leave without us, will you?”

“No, wouldn’t dream of it.” Sunny grimaced. “I’m going to need your help, so hurry!”

Marianne nodded, pursing her lips. “Not sure where we’re going to put our things with Daddy Long Legs taking up all that room. I hope we can get him either to normal human size or back to his tiny size.”

“I have an idea of how we can hurry that up.” Sunny nodded, then jerked his head to the house. “Go, get your stuff. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

Marianne sighed, breaking into a run for her house as Sunny drove off to find a place to park nearby. The look on Marianne’s face that spoke of her dedication to her mission was astonishing. Sunny had been their neighbor for almost two years and was on good terms with them. They were the youngest people in the neighborhood and often at each other’s homes.

They were there for each other, and Sunny thought he knew them well, but this was a situation he never saw coming. They knew his secret now, and at some point, they would ask. What did he look like as a fairy, and he wasn’t prepared to show them.

For one thing, he would be stuck in that form for twelve hours, walking around with wings, looking nothing like what one would expect a fairy to look like. He wouldn’t change into a taller, handsome version of himself-- no, that wasn’t how it worked. He would look precisely the same, but he would have wings.

He was lost in his thoughts a little too long and saw over five minutes had passed. Sunny started down the street, keeping his eyes open. They had to get situated and on the road quickly. Most likely, they would be followed, and Sunny had a small window for them to vanish in.

The girls were coming out of their house as he drove up, each carrying a medium-sized overnight bag. Marianne had a third bag slung over her shoulder, and Dawn had a laptop bag as well. They wasted no time putting the bags into the front seat floorboard and passenger side floorboard, then Dawn took the passenger seat, pushing it forward as far as it could go to give Marianne more room.

Marianne sighed, leaning over the open door, eyes on the slumbering occupant. She hesitated, not because of him, but because this entire situation was overwhelming. Her choice was made, and she wasn’t backing out, just thinking. Then she maneuvered her way inside, with her back to Dawn’s seat, cross-legged. 

‘Let’s go.” She sighed to Sunny. Then she adjusted herself to lay down, facing Bog. Marianne couldn’t remain sitting up, because it would drop the wrong kind of attention. A police officer would surely stop them from inquiring about why she was sitting so strangely.

Sunny nodded, pulling back onto the street, his thoughts on getting them out of there and as far away as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sunny as a fairy, woohoo. :D He can FLY... at some point. :D I haven't written him in action yet. For now, he's got his role to play!  
> I do love comments. They make me keep posting stories. :D


	6. Mine!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The escape is underway, with Sunny driving in circles while they try to figure out how to get Bog to wake up and go into a less conspicuous, and easier to transport form.

“I’m not comfortable with you sitting like that, so we’re making a stop to get something that should help bog wake up.” Sunny glanced at Marianne. “You need to make him drink.”

“He’s asleep. How is he going to drink if he’s asleep?” Marianne stared at Bog, studying his alien features. Everything was wrong about him, the angles of his face, the way the armored plating connected to his body. The crumpled wings that rose behind him.

His face.

Actually, that was the most humanoid part of him, a heavily scarred face with leaf-like protrusions that crinkled like dried, dead leaves as he shifted with the car’s movements. She reached out a hand to touch one of the odd thorn-like protrusions on his chin. It was as hard as she expected and felt exactly like a rose thorn.

Asleep, Bog looked far more peaceful and smiled as her hand traced the line of his jaw. She froze, noting the rise of his eyelids, allowing a slit of blue to show. Then she withdrew, not wanting him to realize she had been touching him. But he didn’t wake.

Laying in the back of the car, Marianne couldn’t see where they were going until Sunny pulled into a drive-thru. “Want anything to eat or drink? My treat.” Sunny offered, glancing back at her.

“We’re at Celestial Stag,” stated Dawn, glancing at Marianne. “I would like a caramel macchiato, large please, and a blueberry muffin.”

“Just a coffee,’ groaned Marianne. How she hated these massive commercial brands. “Are we going to get him to drink coffee?”

“No, you’re going to get him to drink a sugar-filled latte. Fairies tend to love sugar, and it provides a lot of power, although I’m not a hundred percent if that’s all fairies or just most of them. I don’t honestly know a lot about Dragonfae and what they eat.”

“There’s one way to find out,” grumbled Marianne, reaching out with both hands to push Bog’s lips apart, revealing broken, jagged teeth and more prominent canines than the average human. “I’m going to say omnivore with a strong liking for meat.” She winced, slowly releasing his lips. He made a face, grimacing in his sleep.

“One medium coffee, one large caramel macchiato, two extra-large Sparkling Unicorns, both with added caffeine shots, one with honey and protein powder added.” Sunny leaned out the window to give the order, speaking fast. “One blueberry muffin, and a double sausage breakfast croissant with cheese.”

“Oh, I want a single one of those,” Marianne interrupted.

“A single sausage breakfast croissant with cheese and a blueberry muffin.” Sunny finished the order and shifted to get his wallet out of his pocket.

It did sound good, and Marianne’s stomach had whined when Sunny began ordering. She stared at Bog, trying to figure out how she would get him to drink while he was asleep and on his side. Drumming her fingers on the seat surface below her, she considered.

Marianne didn’t like her first thoughts, which consisted of using her fingers to dribble the sugary drink in his mouth. She didn’t want her fingers too close to his teeth, even if he wouldn’t harm her on purpose. The other option was better, putting the straw in the drink, placing her finger on the top of the straw to seal it, then putting the end of the straw in his mouth.

People would reflexively swallow, right? So maybe he would too. Causing him to choke would be awful, but then again, it might wake him up. Dawn turned in the seat to hand Marianne a huge clear plastic containing an almost otherworldly appearing concoction of glittering white, pink, and purple swirls with little golden candy stars floating in it and a white paper bag.

“Try the food first. Maybe he’ll respond to it, and we can get him to eat and drink and hopefully change,” suggested Sunny, leaving the drive-thru.

Marianne unwrapped the huge breakfast sandwich and waved it in front of Bog’s nose. His nostrils flared, and he made a few small mouth movements but didn’t respond any further. Grumbling, Marianne pushed the sandwich aside and unwrapped the straw. She had limited room to work in, but pushed herself up an elbow and dipped the straw into the cup, then scowled, realizing she had to move his head or it would dribble out of the other corner of his mouth.

“Any luck?” Sunny inquired, further annoying Marianne.

“Give me a minute.” She wriggled and shifted, almost tipping the large drink over before she had her left hand pushing Bog’s head to face a little more up at the ceiling, then angled the straw into his mouth, trying to dribble a little inside. This was a lot of work for a tiny amount of sugar.

Bog made a face, but swallowed, then made an even more extreme face, like he didn’t like it. Spurred on by the reaction, Marianne repeated the process, quickly and he stopped making faces at her after a few more times. It took several minutes, but Bog’s eyes opened, staring blankly at her.

“Hey, do you think he knows how straws work?” Marianne put the straw in the cup and tilted it at just the right angle to put it between his lips.

“You saw what he was wearing,” replied Sunny, picking up speed, for what Marianne guessed was entering a highway. “He’s been in the human world before, and one of the things every fairy tends to do is try out human food, even one as big and grumpy as him.”

Marianne chuckled, her free hand still holding Bog’s head. She looked him in the eyes, smiling as she said, “This should give you more energy. You need to drink it. I’ll hold it for you, but you need to drink as much as you can.”

Bog responded by doing as she asked, a bit slowly at first, but after a few minutes, he began showing more awareness and discomfort. “I’ I hate this,” grunted Bog, pushing the straw away.

“It’s an awful situation,” said Marianne.

“No.” Bog made a disgusted face again, grimacing, the corners of his mouth pulled back to form large wrinkles over his cheeks. “Well, yes, but I’ I hate so much sugar an’an’an this is like drinking sugar.” He took the straw again, rolling his eyes to the ceiling as though it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted, and Marianne smirked at him.

“There is a sandwich, but that would be easier to eat if you can change,” she suggested, pushing the wrapped croissant toward him. Bog’s eyes followed her movement, looking more and more clear, maybe a little too clear. Marianne blinked at him, staring at his face in concern as he drained half the sugary drink that he had just expressed his disgust for.

“Find somewhere to stop, and in a few minutes, I think I’ll be able to shift out of this,” Bog said, taking a break from the drink, looking around the interior of the Seltos. “I need to stretch, ugh… hurt everywhere.” He took another long sip, then smiled at Marianne, a strange, overly relaxed smile, the muscles in his face twitching, eyes straying uncontrollably. “Thank ye, Marianne, Dawn. I’I’ I know ye were trying to help me an’an’an ye did.”

“Maybe you’ve had enough.” Marianne reached out to try to take the cup from Bog, and he snarled at her, lifting a lip to show her his crooked teeth, hands clutching the cup closer.

“Mine.” And he went back to drinking, giving her suspicious looks as if she would dare to steal it from him.

“Okay, Gollum.” Marianne sighed and rolled her eyes at him. Giggling came from the front seat as their conversation was clearly overheard.

“What?” Bog stared at her, his mouth still around the straw. It looked like he was attempting to see if he was being insulted or not.

“I guess you don’t watch movies,” chuckled Marianne, scooting into a half-sitting position to unwrap her sandwich. “Dawn, can I have my coffee?” Her sister quickly turned in her seat to pass it back as Marianne began eating, watching the massive being in front of her sip his brightly colored drink with his eyes half-closed.

###

Sunny nervously drove the Seltos into a small park near the highway. The last thing he wanted was to end up trapped where he couldn’t drive away, and he knew they were looking for his car. They were likely not in any hurry, waiting for them to leave town, which they knew they would. However, what they didn’t know would be to Sunny’s advantage. 

Once they got Bog to human form, he had a plan to disguise his car without switching vehicles. He didn’t want to leave his car behind if he didn’t have to, since it contained quite a few items they needed, like hidden compartments with more cash, equipment, and supplies. Their phones were off, and the sim cards were removed, but it was likely there was a tracking device on his car.

“Are you ready?” Sunny asked, looking into the backseat. “Because we need to do this fast and be on our way out of town.”

Bog nodded, taking a deep breath, muttering something unintelligible under his breath. His monstrous fairy form vanished in a blink of light, and he groaned, rolling onto his back, back in the human form he had held before. “S’s’ someone let me out so I’I’ I can stretch,” He stuttered, laying there, one arm crooked around the remains of his drink. Bog tilted his head toward Marianne, then remembered he had food and grabbed it, pushing himself up to take a big bite without removing the paper. Marianne chuckled as he made a face and pulled the paper out of his mouth, while continuing to chew the sandwich hungrily. 

Sunny kept the car idling. “Dawn, help Marianne with the seats.” He kept his eyes on the area, alert for anyone who might see them as they repositioned the car’s interior. Bog slid out when the hatch opened and began walking in circles, eating and taking occasional sips of his drink in between. 

From the looks of how Bog’s legs were shaking, he didn’t have quite the same metabolism that demanded sugar like Sunny did. Dawn set about helping Marianne put the seats upright, then they moved their bags to the trunk, arranging them carefully.

“I brought some dry food, trail mix, granola bars, peanut-butter fudge buddies,” Marianne said, rummaging through one of the bags. “Half a dozen bottles of water.”

“Good thinking.” Sunny complimented with a smile, “We may be on the road for a while. We’ll stop and get gas before we leave town.”

“W’w’w’where are we going?” Bog finished his food, then the drink, making slurping sounds as he tried to get every last bit out of the bottom of the cup. “I’I’ I need to go h’h’ home.”

“We’re going to get you home,” said Marianne, taking the cup and wrapper from him. “We throw things away in the trash.” She stated, walking over to a big wire trashcan and discarding them.

“I know that,” Bog snapped, turning in a random circle, shaking his hands, which were balled up in fists. “But w’w’when?”

“We don’t know.” Marianne glanced around, then pointed to the car. “We need to go now.”

“S’s’sS’s’s’ so pushy.” He glowered at her, then added in a grumble, “Ye’d think ye w’w’w’were a queen or s’s’ss’s’s’ something.”

“Yeah, I am,” snorted Marianne. “I’m the queen of the Seltos, and you are in my domain.”

Bog rolled his eyes, sneering at her. “Y’y’ ye can’t order me a’a’a’round.”

“Oh, yes, I can.” Marianne stomped to him, getting around behind him to push him toward the car. “We need to go, Bog. We’re trying to keep you away from the fairy hunter, remember?”

“Ah,” grumbled Bog, his shoulders slumping as he let her push him. “R’r’ r’ right, but how am I’I’ I going to get home? W’w’w’won’t they look for me where y’ y’ ye live, yer highnessssss?”

“Stop stalling,” yelled Sunny, glancing around nervously. “Get in the car!”

“You can’t order me around!” Marianne snapped at the same time as Bog stuttered the same thing. He chuckled, giving her an amused look over his shoulder, still offering a token resistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha... this is where the chaos begins. The whole, here, give him a latte and see what happens. :D He's a fairy, he should like lots of sugar! Bahahahahaha!


	7. Jitter Bog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog has problems beyond his injuries... and Marianne has to deal with them.

Bog scowled as Marianne reached over to pull the seatbelt over his lap and shoulders. He batted her hand away, “I’I’ I know how s’s’ss’s’s’ eatbeltssss work!” Growling, Bog pulled the seatbelt over his lap and scowled as Marianne gave him a dirty look, strapping on her belt. Still frowning, Bog glanced at the back of Dawn’s seat, which she had pulled up as far as it would go to give him room. “Dawn, ye got enough r’ r’ room?”

“I’m fine!” She glanced back at him and smiled. “Are you comfortable, Bog?”

“Yes,” he said in a subdued voice, turning his attention to the window, ignoring the dirty looks he was getting from Marianne. Bog was annoyed with the whole situation, even with the knowledge they were trying to help him. “T’t’ tell me what ye have planned.”

“I’ve sent my people to alert your people they should hide,” Sunny said, pulling the car onto the little residential road next to the park. “You may need to stay away for a week or two.”

“A’a’a week,” groaned Bog, his forehead wrinkling with deep lines as he ran a hand over his face and into his hair.

“Or two,” added Sunny.

Bog began swearing to himself, banging the side of his head against the glass in frustration. He grimaced, a look of distress clear on his face because he was thinking about his mother and everyone at home that depended on him. His mistake put them in danger. They had a plan for such a situation, which involved everyone splitting off to hide near the human houses until things were clear. 

They wouldn’t go far, but they would worry about him, especially Mum. And he missed her, even if she did nag him constantly for this or that thing, reminding him of her age, how she didn’t have any other children directly related to her. She had wanted a big family, but that didn’t happen--because her husband went on a trip into the human world and never returned home when Bog was a child.

“Mum,” muttered Bog, lowering his head at the determined flare inside that he could not do that to his mother a second time. She had been torn up about losing her husband and always had Bog give her times when he would return. They sat in silence as Sunny drove on.

Lost in his thoughts, Bog didn’t pay attention to where Sunny was driving, just staring outside the glass at other humans in vehicles and the passing buildings. His life was in the hands of humans, and he considered asking them to drop him off. He could return home on his own; however, it would be with broken wings.

If he could not fly, he would be vulnerable, and shifting back and forth would take its toll. For now, he was better staying with the humans. His wings would not heal, and he was stuck for at least a few months. During that time, his mother would worry, wondering what had befallen him that he didn’t return as promised. The stress he knew his mother would be under brought a pang of heavy guilt over Bog.

Everything went dark, and Bog peered up at concrete beams. Sunny had driven into a parking garage and drove slowly up the ramps, making sure nobody was following. He parked, and the girls and Bog looked at him curiously.

“I thought we needed to keep moving,” stated Marianne as Sunny got out of the car.

“We do, but I’m going to make things easier for us, buy us some time.” Sunny walked around to the back, opened the trunk to grab one of his bags. He rummaged around, and Marianne looked over the backseat to see him with a license plate in hand.

“I have spares.” Sunny grinned at her. He knelt behind the car and replaced the plate, sliding the old one into his bag. Sunny closed the door, then walked around the car, sliding a hand over the car’s body until he made a complete circle.

“Oh, wow.” Dawn giggled, motioning to the hood. “It just changed from yellow to orange!”

Marianne gaped, able to see the change on the side mirrors. The color of the car had changed. Sunny slid back into the driver’s side and grinned at them. “Just a little trick, I know. It comes in handy, but they’ll figure it out by tomorrow. I’ll change it again when it’s dark. It’ll keep us ahead of them.”

“Good thinking.” Bog nodded, then spied Sunny’s unfinished drink in the center console. He leaned forward, snaking one long arm to snatch the drink, grinning that it was still full.

“Hey!” Sunny glared at him. “That’s mine!”

“Ye weren’t drinking it.” Bog glared back, deliberately sticking the straw in his mouth and slurping thirstily. “I need to recover my energy.” He growled with the straw clenched between his teeth, daring Sunny to do anything about it.

“We’re trying to help you. The least you could do is be a little more grateful.” Sunny said, turning around to start the car.

“Well, so far, ye could have avoided this all by letting me go. Now, ye are separating me from my people, put my entire colony in danger, and I do not want to go wherever it is ye are taking me, but I have no choice, so leave me alone.” Bog spoke gruffly, then turned away, sulking to nurse his anger and sip his super sweet drink.

“This is your fault, actually,” Marianne said, giving Bog’s back a dirty look. “You snuck into our home to steal from us, flew into a window, hurt yourself, got caught, and are blaming us for trying to help you.”

Bog didn’t answer, nor acknowledge he heard anything she said, slurping the drink as loud as possible.

“How old are you?” Marianne rolled her eyes, staring at his back. “Because you act like a child.”

“Old enough,” snorted Bog, his shoulders shifting in a distracting way. “Older than ye.”

“Fairies live to be a couple hundred years old,” stated Sunny, glancing back at the two.

“Well, maybe you should act your age and not like a spoiled brat,” huffed Marianne, folding her arms and regarding Bog crossly. “You have personally disrupted all of our lives by breaking into our home.”

“Yer window was open. I’ve done it many times.” Bog turned his head to give Marianne a cold glare. “I did not break into yer home. I just came in for a couple of small items ye would not miss.”

“But you can walk around like this!” Marianne gestured to his body. “Just go to a store and buy what you need or steal from someone else.”

Bog turned, reclining against the passenger door as he sipped the drink, which was a third empty. “Ye keep saying steal when we did things for ye in a fair exchange. Ye never knew about it, but we kept the nasty things out of yer house and yard, like scorpions, poisonous snakes. It was a fair exchange.”

Marianne grimaced because really, a few allergy pills and aspirins were a small price to pay to not deal with those things, and she hadn’t seen any in their home over the years. “I’m assuming you have money, though. Wouldn’t it be less dangerous?”

“Yes.” Bog nodded his expression looser. “But ye see what happens when I go into the human world. Nothing but trouble.” He gave Marianne a frown before turning away again, falling into silence. Bog did not want to talk about it, not with her, not with anyone.

“I could swear you said you hate sugar,” Marianne kept talking, but her tone was less accusatory and more teasing. 

“I’ I like this,” muttered Bog, working on the drink, perhaps a little too fast. It wasn’t nearly as cold as his had been and easier to drink. Something about the mixture made him want more of it, that creamy sweetness flowing over his tongue, hitting every taste bud with an explosion of pleasure.

Sugar was never something he craved, but when he was in the human world, he had developed a love of milk. There was a lot of milk in this concoction, and it mixed with the sugar in such a way he couldn’t even describe the flavor of, and it made his head swim, whatever else was in it.

Then the shaking began with a flood of energy, making him feel better all the way around. In fact, he felt incredibly good as he sipped the drink and watched the world go by again. For a short time, his worries seemed to fade into a haze.

###

Marianne knew she was in trouble when she saw the smile on Bog’s face. She had been sitting, minding her own business, nursing her annoyances with him, and his belief this was their fault. He had finished the drink, and his hand trembled as he put the empty plastic cup back into the front console, then he sat back, legs splayed, hands running from his upper thighs to his knees.

Bog smiled at her, a fairly lazy, half-drunken smile with his mouth partially raised, showing off his front teeth in a way that was honestly, a little cute. His blue eyes glimmered with unnatural light, like jewels in the sun. Then, it began.

“Marianne.” He rolled the r in a way that made her gape, unsure of what was going on. He said her name again, then added, “Y’y’ ye know it m’m’ means bitter grace? I’I’It also means rebellious.” Bog stumbled over the words, rolling the r’s. “S’s’ star of the s’s’ ea, too. Graceful. Beloved. Grace.” He rambled, smiling at her.

“Uh,” Marianne fought with her jaw to get her mouth to close.

“I’I’It’s a beautiful name. Marianne.” Bog gave her an even more lopsided grin, his words slurring and the look on his face that of a drunk man, which was impossible. He had nothing alcoholic to drink. She looked at his hands, which were shaking and the way he sat, far more relaxed and open, with no reason behind it.

“Oh, no,” sighed Sunny from the front seat. “I don’t think it’s the sugar. I think it’s the caffeine.”

Marianne looked from Sunny to Bog, grimacing, “We need to keep that stuff away from him, both of them because he looks really out of it.”

“W’what?” Bog wrinkled his forehead. “N’nothing wrong with m’m’ me.” Then he began talking. “W’what is w’wrong with ye? I m’m’ miss my mum, and I want to go home.” He went from happy to sad in seconds, his face drawing tight, lifting an uncoordinated hand too fast. “Ow!” Bog smacked his nose, then began staring at his hand. “These’ ese aren’t my f’fingers.” Then he began tugging on the sleeve of his jacket in a panic. “Not, not me!”

“Bog.” Marianne scooted as close to him as the seatbelt allowed, grabbing his hand. “Settle down. Everything is okay.”

“Who are ye??” His eyes widened, the blue orbs showing honest confusion as he stared at her.

“I’m Marianne,” she stated.

“Oh, Marianne!” Bog’s face lit up, and he repeated everything he had said about her name a few minutes before. Marianne rolled her eyes and sighed as he began singing enthusiastically to her, C’mon Marianne. 

He derailed at ‘she was a passing fling’ a look of torment crossing his face, then his entire expression lit up in horror. “I’I’ I would never cheat on ye!”

Marianne groaned, running a hand over her forehead, stroking her temples. “Of course, you wouldn’t, we aren’t dating, and I don’t date strange fairies who break into my house!”

Giggling came from the front seat. “You’re not helping!” Marianne snapped, returning to Bog. The look she returned to was probably the saddest expression she had ever seen on a man’s face. His blue eyes seemed to have somehow gotten larger, fixed on her, his face that of a heartbroken man.

“I’ I” I’m sorry?” The confusion in his eyes was more than Marianne could take.

“Look, you’re going to snap out of this in a little while, so you should, I don’t know, look out the window?” Marianne pushed his arm, trying to get him to turn. Instead, he glanced at her arm, then looked at her like he was a puppy that had just been kicked. On his face, the expression was disarming, and she leaned back. “Sunny, I don’t think I can sit back here with him like this.”

“I’m s’s’ sorry.” Bog hung his head and shifted away from her, cringing up against the door. His breathing came fast and shallow as Marianne stared at him, unsure of what to do. Here was some fierce, and she knew he was a fierce, vicious, annoying fairy king, and she had crushed him with a rejection she wasn’t even aware she gave him. He shouldn’t have cared what she said, but he obviously did in his addled state.

“I’m sure it’ll pass soon,” sighed Sunny, keeping his eyes on the road.

Marianne sighed, worrying her lower lip, then she reached out, holding a hand over his back. She closed her eyes, thinking about it, then dropped her hand firmly, sliding it across the rampaging tiger. Bog went rigid, turning to look at her slowly.

“I’I’I’m not acting right, I’I’ I know,” he stated. 

“We’ve all had a long day, and it’s barely noon,” Marianne said sympathetically, meeting his eyes. “Take your jacket off and hand it to me.”

Bog struggled, his eyes locked on Marianne again as he managed to get the bomber jacket off. He handed it to her, and she folded it over, placing it on her lap. 

“Don’t you dare get upset about this later or make me regret it,” Marianne hissed, unbuckling his seat belt. “Just lay down and try to get some sleep. You look tired.”

“I’I’ I don’t feel tired.” Bog stared at her with wide-open eyes, his hands trembling.

“Look, just lay down if you want or don’t, but shut up. I don’t want to hear another stupid word out of your mouth and in exchange…” she bit her lower lip. “I’ll play with your hair.” Bog responded by immediately shifting to lay down with his head on his jacket.

“M’ Marianne,” he began talking immediately, rolling the r and for the third time, stating what Marianne meant until she pinched his ear.

“I said, no talking,” growled Marianne, then running her hand through his thick, spiky black hair, dragging her nails across his scalp. It was worth it to shut him up, even though it felt strange to do this to someone she knew wasn’t a man, and she had just met that day. She thought of him like a dog--a dog that needed to be comforted, and she was fine with petting friendly dogs. She got the idea when he gave her the sad puppy eyes.

It did the trick, because every few minutes, Bog started to say something, and she stopped stroking his hair and pinched his ear. He went silent, obviously enjoying the attention, and it gave Marianne something to do as Sunny drove the car outside town, and they headed off to who knows where. The tickle of Bog’s hair beneath her hand was pleasant, and eventually, Marianne nodded off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe... Bog high on sugar is greatness. :D  
> I really enjoy comments and there have been so few lately, although I've been bad myself, but it's more because I'm not in the mood to read. :( There are things I've marked, just not gotten to. Anyway, enjoy!


	8. Not-a-Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After several hours of sleep, Bog and Marianne aren't getting along any better.

Hours later, Marianne woke to the motion of the car ceasing, ending the gentle rocking that had lulled her to sleep in the first place. Riding in a car had always calmed her--since she was a child. Marianne blinked, smiling at the warmth against her cheek, a pleasant smell of maleness and earth filling her nose as she inhaled. 

Wow, did he smell good and he was comfortable to lay on.

He.

Flashes of what had happened earlier in the day passed through her head. The fairy. She heard his breathing, his body moving with each breath beneath her.

Marianne had slumped next to Bog and ended up with her left arm over his waist, her head between him and the seat, facing his back. She froze, fingertips running over a smooth stomach. This was awkward.

“We’re going to get out and stretch our legs,” stated Sunny from the front seat.

Marianne grimaced, hearing the doors open. Bog didn’t stir, deep asleep, muttering something beneath his breath. Bracing herself on her right arm, Marianne slowly pushed herself up, lifting her left arm up and off of him. He felt so human, so warm.

But he wasn’t.

Not really.

This body wasn’t what he really looked like, all that cold armoring, monstrous hands ending in long jagged nails. What was sleeping in the car was not a man. Still, Marianne unfastened her seatbelt and lowered her gaze to him.

He wasn’t a man.

Why did she keep thinking that?

He is not a man. Not a human man. A fairy man? A male fairy?

Marianne stared at him, the way the black t-shirt pulled over his body. It had lifted around his waist, showing pale white skin, and the curve of his hip. Marianne stared a moment longer, then ran a hand over her face. Men. 

She opened her door and stepped out into a small park. Trees surrounded them, and the sun was on its way down toward the horizon. How far had they gone, and where were they?

Sunny stood nearby, stretching with Dawn mimicking his movements. Marianne groaned, flexing her arms into the air and shaking her head, attempting to get rid of the groggy feeling in her head.

“What is the plan, Sunny?” Marianne eyed the shorter man, who cringed at the question.

“Normally, I would take a fairy to a safe place, but most of them revert to their smaller form as a defense mechanism.” Sunny took a deep breath. “Bog’s different.”

“Why would something like him even hide? I mean, he’s huge, and I know he’s a predator.” Marianne glanced at the car. “How did something like that live in the same world we do?”

Sunny gave her a thin-lipped smile.

“I mean, why would it hide as a human and not itself? Why did they go small?” Marianne stumbled over her words, attempting to ask her question. “I have so many questions.”

Sunny gave her a blank look with a touch of annoyance.

“I’m sorry.” Marianne hung her head, realizing she was talking about a fairy to a fairy, and she used the word it.

“Think of us as a race of humans,” sighed Sunny. “Inside, our bodies are the same as yours. There are no differences. Humans and Fae have children all the time without knowing it--we’re that close. If there’s even a drop of fairy blood in your family tree, you can do what we can do. The DNA is dominant.”

“But, everyone’s not a fairy?” Marianne peered at Sunny. 

“Most fairies keep to themselves and their own kind, but there are hybrids out there.” Sunny smiled slyly at Marianne, turning his head slowly. “You could have fairy blood in you.”

“I doubt it,” groaned Marianne, rolling her eyes. Her stomach rumbled, and she sighed, running a hand over it. “What are our plans for linner?”

“Linner?” Sunny made a face.

“Lunch-dinner.” Marianne smirked. “Since it’s after lunchtime, and we are not…” She gaped in realization. “Where are we sleeping tonight? We’re not driving all night, are we?”

“No, after I make sure nobody is following us, we’re going to a little safe house to spend a few days. I’m going to leave you there when I’m sure it’s safe and try to get into contact with my parents. By then, they will know what to do.” Sunny headed back to the car, speaking confidently. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but trust me!”

“That inspires so much confidence.” Marianne pulled her hand over her face, groaning.

“I trust you, Sunny!” Dawn bounced past her sister excitedly.

Marianne took another breath of fresh air, then returned to the car, thinking about how she would have to wake Bog to get back into her seat and how to get him to go some other direction. It was weird having a strange man, fairy, whatever, laying across her lap. 

Bog resisted being moved as Marianne reluctantly slid into her seat. Stubbornly resisted, as in, actually growled and snuggled up to his jacket and place with his head on her lap as though he belonged there. He sighed, his face immediately relaxing, and Marianne reluctantly let him stay with a mental note not to do this again.

What a jerk.

###

When they stopped to pick up food, Bog groggily sat up, looked at Marianne, saw her angry expression, and gripping his jacket, slid to the far side of the seat. Her face reminded him of his predicament and the fact he was stuck here, in a moving metal box with people, humans, he did not know.

“He’s up,” stated Marianne flatly.

Bog glowered at her, wishing he could sink into some cold dark place. Instead, he slipped further into his seat, lowering his head against the window, then pulled his jacket over his head to avoid looking to or interacting with the humans.

“Are you hungry?” Sunny asked, glancing at the back seat. “We’re going to stop and get some groceries to take to the safe house before we get there, but this will be the last hot food for a while.”

Bog didn’t reply or move, pretending like they weren’t there. His stomach grumbled at the smells coming through Sunny’s open window. Even in a human form, his sense of smell was strong, and his mouth began watering, despite his efforts to stop it.

“You know what? I bet he would like chicken. Order one of those 20 piece boxes of chicken nuggets and a bunch of sauces,” Marianne said. 

“Marianne, stop being so mean to him.” Dawn undid her seatbelt and got on her knees to look into the backseat.

“I just suggested food for him.” Marianne scowled at her sister. “How’s that being mean?”

“You just are,” huffed Dawn in unusual annoyance. “Let’s trade places. I’ll sit back there with him, and you can sit up here.”

“No,” Marianne growled, shaking her head.

“Why? You obviously don’t want to sit next to him.” Dawn pouted at her sister. Marianne didn’t answer, and Bog shifted, gripping the jacket between clenched fingers as he lowered it and looked at Marianne, scowling.

“Because she believes I will hurt ye,” Bog stated, knowing exactly why. He narrowed his eyes at Marianne, frowning at the non-verbal accusation. “I will not. Do ye believe I’m some…”

“No!” Marianne grimaced, interrupting him, slapping her hands over her lap. “I mean, you, you know.” She began gesturing in the air.

“I need to order.” Sunny glanced into the backseat with a frown. 

Dawn got out of the car without another word and stomped to Marianne’s side, pulling the door open. “Get out, Marianne.”

“I am not a monster,” whispered Bog, before turning back to the window, letting the sisters work out their arrangement.

Marianne sighed, undoing her seatbelt to switch places with Dawn. At that point, Bog decided he was done with the little witchy woman who was mad at him for no real, discernible reason and turned a pleasant smile to Dawn as she slid into the seat next to him.

“Ye are Dawn, right? Yer the one always feeding the hummingbirds?” Bog spoke gently, patting the jacket over his lap as he relaxed against the back of the seat. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Marianne get into the car, giving him a dirty look before fastening her seatbelt.

“Oh, yes, I love hummingbirds! They are my favorite bird.” Dawn grinned at Bog, and he smiled back, settling into a conversation for the sole purpose of spiting Marianne. “I don’t know why she’s so mad at you, you even sang to her!” Bog’s smile faded at Dawn’s words.

“What?” His jaw dropped in confusion. “I what?”

“You sang, C’mon Marianne!” Dawn smiled and began singing the first lines, and the horrified expression on Bog’s face deepened.

“I did not!” Bog protested, glancing around the car to see smug smiles from the front seat reflected in the side mirrors.

“Oh, you did. It was really good too!” Dawn complimented with a sweet smile.

Bog grabbed his jacket and threw it back over his head, back to wishing he could sink into the earth and vanish forever. The jacket moved, and Bog realized Dawn was pulling it away from him.

“Please, no,” he groaned, cringing away from her. “Leave me alone.”

“But we’re getting food, and you need to eat.” Dawn’s voice shifted into a very annoyingly, sweet stern motherly voice. “You passed out earlier. Oh, maybe we should get him another latte!”

“No!” Both Sunny and Marianne snapped from the front seat. Sunny reached for the radio dial and turned it up, music blaring through the car to make everyone stopped talking. It opened up with a blast of “Mistreated!”

Bog snarled from beneath his jacket. “I empathize.”

###

Ten minutes later, they were on the road again, with Bog stubbornly refusing to eat anything. Dawn finished her salad, then turned her attention to him, popping the box of nuggets open, then opening sauces one by one.

“When I was a kid, I loved chicken nuggets! They were my favorite! Chicken nuggets and macaroni! Too bad they don’t see macaroni at fast food places,” Dawn rambled, talking cheerfully to Bog. “And there are four sauces here for you. There’s honey, chili lime avocado, barbecue, and sweet n’ sour. Which one would you like to try?”

Bog didn’t answer.

“Come on now--we shouldn’t waste food.” Dawn’s gentle voice continued, and Bog closed his eyes, trying to tune her out. She reached out and touched his arm, where his elbow poked out beneath the jacket. “It’s good. I promise, and you do need to eat.”

Bog grimaced at the touch, the gentle pressure sending comfort through his currently panicking, depressed body. Dawn was treating him like anyone else, and he was being rude. He wasn’t rude. Bog was just upset and angry with the situation, which was honestly his fault for not being more careful.

Resigned, he shifted to let the jacket fall and turned to face Dawn. “Choose one.” 

“Let’s start with honey!” Dawn said gleefully, dipping a nugget in the honey sauce and offering it to Bog.

He stared at it for a moment, unsure of what was dripping off the strangely formed piece of meat could actually be honey. What he had at home was rich, dark brown, like Marianne’s eyes, not this pale gold syrupy stuff. It was also thicker.

Bog’s stomach growled, and he sighed, taking the piece of ‘meat’ between his fingers, careful not to get honey on them. He nibbled a corner, found it reasonable, then popped it into his mouth. It was delicious and fresh, with a nice crispy crust. Nuggets, huh? What part of the chicken did a chicken nugget come from?

“Uh.” Bog swallowed hard, peering at Dawn as she offered him another, covered in a golden-red sauce. “These aren’t… chicken balls?

Marianne choked from the front seat, the soda she had been drinking coming out of her nose and going everywhere.

“My car!” Sunny squealed, reacting by turning the wheel. With a yelp, he turned it back too hard, jostling everyone.

“Chicken balls?” Dawn wrinkled her nose, looking at the nugget thoughtfully. “It’s more of a square shape.”

Marianne wheezed as Sunny glanced at her in concern. “Sorry, Sunny!” She grabbed for napkins and began cleaning the mess, still making snorting noises.

Bog grimaced, glancing at the front seat and the odd distraction. “What part of the chicken does this come from?”

“Oh, all of them!” Dawn laughed, still offering the nugget to Bog. He stared at it skeptically, not sure if he wanted anymore. The first one wasn’t bad, and he was hungry. He took it and tested it, then finding the sauce okay, popped it into his mouth, and enjoyed it.

“And this is chili-lime avocado!” Dawn had another in her hand before Bog finished the first. She watched him intently, smiling. For as angry as he was, this little bit of kindness helped. He didn’t need everyone else judging him for his actions when he did an excellent job of that on his own.

Bog took the nugget and didn’t bother testing. He could smell the creamy base and ate it without hesitation. With a sigh, he smiled at Dawn. “This one is the best.”

“We still have the barbecue sauce. It’s tangy.” Dawn offered him the next one, and Bog grinned, accepting it.

“Thank ye, Dawn,” he said softly, glancing at the front seat. Marianne’s eyes met his briefly in the visor mirror she had just pulled down, scrutinizing him, watching him.

She hated him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bahahahahhaa!  
> I have nothing to say for myself. :D  
> Enjoy and leave a comment! I really enjoy comments!


	9. The Safe House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little shopping trip in preparation for a week locked in a safe house and Bog is still stewing over Marianne's words.

Sunny drove, stopping occasionally and watching. He brought out a scanner of some kind to listen to police channels and others. There was nothing but usual chatter, nothing concerning, but he maintained they couldn’t be too careful.

It was boring, cooped up in the car, but Dawn made the most of it, bringing out her laptop and beginning to work. Thankfully, it didn’t have any kind of access, and Sunny wouldn’t let her turn on the wifi. She had a strange smile on her face as she typed, occasionally giggling at Marianne.

Bog settled into the side of the car, keeping quiet as he mournfully stared outside. Marianne began fidgeting, all this sitting driving her crazy. She couldn’t jog or do anything more than get out for a few minutes. 

The sun was beginning to set when Sunny declared he thought it was safe enough to go to the safe-house, but first, they would stop for groceries. Sunny gave Marianne cash after they stopped in front of a small grocery store on the edge of town, giving her instructions to buy two large Styrofoam coolers, a bag of ice, then whatever they needed to last for a week.

Marianne and Dawn got out of the car, and Bog followed. “Oh, no, you get back in the car.” Marianne glared up at him, motioning to the back seat.

“You are not the boss of me,” growled Bog. “I’m not letting you choose food for me. I don’t eat salad.”

“I can’t babysit you in a store.” Marianne took a step closer, and he crouched over her, scowling.

“Look here, woman, I am an adult, and I eat what I want.” Bog began, shaking his head back and forth as he talked, baring his teeth at her. “I’m also a king.” He rose to his full stature and gave her a superior look with his nose in the air.

“Listen here, you giant stick bug, I don’t care what you are,” snarled Marianne. “We don’t have time for your antics and delusions of grandeur while we’re shopping.”

Bog snorted and started for the door, walking with an annoying swagger. He had left his jacket in the car, so he was only in his t-shirt and oh, so lovely tight jeans that outlined every nice shift of his body.

Not a man.

He is not a man.

Marianne’s brain screamed at her as her eyes fell on his backside. She huffed, following after him, and watched in horror as Dawn bounced past her and looped an arm in his, practically skipping as they walked through the front doors.

Not-a-man had a gorgeous narrow rear. And that back, with muscles she could see defined by his shirt, shifting and moving up to his broad shoulders. Marianne tried not to stare, but it was hard because she was behind him and not looking at her. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, and her heart racing.

If she had seen him on the street, just walking by, she might have turned around and followed him. Marianne shook her head, grabbing a cart to do the shopping. She stared at the basket, pushing it after them, recalling how he really looked. It wasn’t that bad. Not really. Different. Scary.

“Dawn, why don’t you find a couple of Styrofoam coolers. The big ones.” Marianne turned her attention to the mission at hand.

“Can I get some donuts and ice cream too?” Dawn gave her sister a pleading look, her baby blue eyes wide.

“Knock yourself out,” grumbled Marianne, heading for the produce aisle. Bog glanced at Dawn, then followed Marianne, looming over her as he looked over the area. Marianne said nothing, picking up various fruits and vegetables, keeping mental track of how much food they needed, leftovers, and trying to make it healthy.

Bog selected a massive container of strawberries and another of blueberries. Marianne eyed his additions, recalling how he said no salad but picked fruit. She noticed he chose carefully, selecting perfectly ripe strawberries and blueberries without any mold on them. He shopped for groceries before.

“Are those just for you, or are you going to share?” Marianne inquired with a smile.

“I can share,” grumbled Bog.

“Why don’t you get another container of each.” She motioned to the aisle, and Bog shuffled off to do just that. He spent a few minutes going over them before returning with two more cartons.

They continued, heading down several aisles of canned goods and boxes. Dawn returned with Styrofoam containers, two gallons of ice cream, mint chocolate and cherry chocolate cordial, donuts, and various snack foods. Then she ran off to grab a few essentials per Marianne’s mental list.

Bog kept close to Marianne, not asking any questions or offering conversation. He looked at items on the shelves curiously and just followed, occasionally retrieving things for Marianne as she pointed them out. For being so argumentative when they left the car, he was almost obedient, bringing things to her as she asked for them.

It was cute.

Then they got to their main destination, the meat counter. That was when Bog brought up a giant brisket, a ham, pot roast, and half a dozen whole chickens. He picked them up and said nothing to Marianne as she eyed his selections. Expensive selections.

“Bog, we have a limited amount of cash.” Marianne kept her voice low as he returned with a huge package of steaks. “We have a little more we need to pick up.” She motioned to packages of sliced lunch meat and cheese. “For all of us.” Marianne paused at the look on his face, torn between the steaks and whatever was on his mind. “Those are expensive. Get a cheaper cut.”

He said nothing, turning to return to the beef, placing the package where he got it. Bog moved along, still silent, going over the offerings. Marianne was heading to the bread section when he caught up with her, empty-handed.

“Didn’t see anything you wanted?” Marianne asked over her shoulder.

“There’s enough.” And he walked past her cart, glancing inside. His face lit up. “Eh, eggs. I love eggs.” He glanced at her, smiling, then looked away, clearing his throat.

Seeing him smile made her smile, despite herself. He had a pleasant voice with that slight Scottish burr. Her eyes continually went to him as they finished their shopping. He helped Dawn sack the groceries, then placed them in the cart, without speaking.

Dawn, on the other hand, couldn’t stop talking. They were done in an hour and walked outside to wait for Sunny. There were no arguments as Bog stood next to Marianne, waiting patiently.

The car was loaded a few minutes later. It was dark outside, and Bog took his place on the same side of the car. Marianne motioned for Dawn to return to the front seat, and she silently sat next to Bog in the back, again.

###

It had been ingrained into Bog as a teenager, the first time he went into the human world with his parents, that he had to behave around other humans. You did not draw attention to yourself. He was good at that, remaining unseen among humans. They weren’t really that bad, humans, not really.

When he was younger, Bog went to movies with his parents on rare occasions, enjoyed human food, and even learned to drive for emergencies. Their family was the only one allowed to go into the human world, and most of their people had no idea they could do the same.

It was a secret, one which he wanted to maintain for as long as possible. If the younglings in his colony learned they could do this, their mischievous nature would cause problems.

So, he behaved in the store and didn’t attempt to agitate Marianne. In return, she was much nicer. He said nothing to avoid starting an argument, and even after his long nap, he was tired. 

Bog worried about his people and what might be happening in his absence. His mother could handle anything that came, but he was still worried.

The last town they were in faded into the distance, and soon they were driving among trees that blocked out the sky. Bog sat in silence, listening to the radio, playing a sad, sweet song about love and loss. Marianne said nothing to him, and Dawn had fallen asleep.

Sunny drove down a winding road, leaning over the steering wheel at times, squinting into the darkness. The road grew bumpier, then finally, they pulled up to a little log cabin. Automatic lights turned on as the car stopped, flooding the area around the house with light. 

“Okay, we’re here.” Sunny turned the car off and turned to his passengers. “It’s off the grid. I’m going to check the battery and see if I need to turn the generator on. If you can unload the car, it’d be great.” Sunny got out of the car and headed for the front door.

“Yay.” Marianne rubbed her eyes, then opened her door to get to work. Bog followed, and finally, Dawn, who looked like she was ready to fall down at any moment.

It didn’t take long to get inside the house and unload the car. The bottom floor was open, with a kitchen on the far side, a small dining room, and a living room full of comfortable furniture covered in plastic.

Once they unloaded everything, Bog stepped out onto the porch, then onto the grass, his eyes on the sky. And he walked out into the trees, needing to be surrounded by nature and not an annoying rumbling piece of human technology. 

Bog stood, inhaling the clean, cool night air, closing his eyes and pretending he was home in his little grove of trees, ruler of his tiny kingdom, where everyone listened to him, and he was safe. An owl hooted in the distance, and he detected the sound of footsteps approaching.

He caught her scent before she made herself known. “Please, just go away.” Bog didn’t turn--his eyes fixed on the sky. “Leave me alone.”

“We just wanted to know where you would like to sleep.” Marianne stood behind him, running her hands up her arms. “Out here or inside? You’re not going to run off into the forest, are you?”

“It would make things easier for ye, wouldn’t it?” He began kicking at sticks and leaves on the ground. “Would ye like that? Then ye could go home and forget all about this.”

Marianne frowned, looking at the ground. “Don’t. It’s not your home.”

“I can live anywhere.” Bog grumbled.

“Yes, but you have a real home, with family and stuff?” Marianne ventured, taking another step closer.

“With stuff,” chuckled Bog. “I’ll sleep out here so I won’t eat anyone in my sleep.”

Marianne winced. “I’m sorry, it’s just that you are, you know… ” She took another step closer, reaching out to touch his arm.

“Scary.” He looked at her hand, then turned to scowl at her. “Don’t. I might turn on ye at any moment.”

“I said I’m sorry,” snapped Marianne, withdrawing her hand. “I’m trying to be nice.”

“Yeah, don’t fake it.” Bog turned fully around to face her. “I did not ask for this. None of this. I do not want to be here anymore than ye.”

‘But you are.” Marianne glanced back through the trees where she could see the house lights. “And so am I. Come inside. You’ll be more comfortable?”

“Marianne, I promise when this is over, ye will never see me again.” He walked past her, not meeting her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Love. Writing. This.   
> I finished chapter 24 and it went in ways I did not expect as some little blonde completely destroyed my outline. :D  
> I and a few others have a Discord group and you are more than welcome to join us or lurk. We are very friendly and welcoming.  
> https://discord.gg/fjjrUrY


	10. Something About Bog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog unhappily settles into his surroundings and Marianne realizes a few things now that they aren't trapped in a car together.

Guilt weighed heavily on Marianne’s shoulders. The evening they arrived at the cabin, Bog barely spoke, sulking as he was offered a paper plate with a couple of tuna fish sandwiches on them. He muttered a thank you, then left for the stairs. There were two bedrooms and a loft with a pullout couch. Each bedroom had two beds. Dawn and Marianne had chosen one, and their things sat on their beds. 

Bog took the other room, closed the door behind him, and there was an audible click from the lock. He had no intention of sharing, and Sunny shook his head. Marianne took it as Bog being rude at first, thinking he should have a room to himself. Sunny ended up on the second pullout in the living room, and after the busy day, the comfortable beds were welcome.

Marianne fell asleep far faster than she thought she would. When morning came, she woke to the smell of sausages and toast. Sunny was in the kitchen, making food and the door to Bog’s room was open. Marianne peeked inside to see the bed neatly made and the room itself vacant.

“Good morning!” Sunny greeted with a smile, slipping sausages onto a plate. He was the only one in the kitchen.

“Bog’s outside?” Marianne nabbed a piece of toast and began smothering it in grape jelly.

“Yeah, he was up before the sun was.” Sunny frowned, looking thoughtful. “Want to call him in to eat? I’m sure he’s hungry.”

Marianne winced. “I’m the last person he wants to see.”

“Just go outside and yell for then.” Sunny shrugged, turning to the skillet and a bowl full of scrambled eggs. “I’ll have my special cheesy eggs ready by the time you get back.”

“Okay.” Marianne sighed reluctantly. She picked up a sausage link and slid it onto her toast, folding it to make it easier to eat. Keeping track of that fairy was not a job she wanted. He was a big boy. If he wanted to eat, he could stick around and wait for breakfast.

She walked out the front door, eating her jelly covered sausage, and scanned the tree line. How likely was it he was in the same place she followed him to last night? Marianne stepped off the porch and walked in that direction, curiously. Birds flitted through the trees, and she heard a low voice, Bog, talking to someone. Who could he be talking to?

Marianne didn’t say anything, attempting to be quiet as she approached. Bog sat on a broken tree, slumped forward with his hands hanging loosely over his legs, his back to her. In front of him was a mother deer with a pair of babies that still sported fading spots. The wild animals were so close, he could touch them, and he did, reaching out to rub one of the fawns beneath its chin.

“Lucky ye, got your mom with ye, watching out for ye,” Bog said, stroking his hand down the animal’s neck. Marianne gaped as the other one nosed his arm and the mother appeared to pay attention to Bog’s words. “Two good healthy fawns, ye have there. Ye eat good here, don’t ye? Predators? Hmmm… bears.”

Was he actually talking to the deer? The doe’s ears swiveled, her black nose quivering as she tilted her nose into the air, then jerked her head in Marianne’s direction. Without warning, the deer bolted, her white tail flagging behind her as she fled with her two fawns close behind. They vanished into the trees within moments, and Bog sagged.

“Uhm, breakfast is ready,” Marianne spoke, her eyes fixing on him. What had she just seen?

“Okay.” Bog rose, brushing at his t-shirt and pants. He turned like nothing had happened, walking up to Marianne, then passing her. Marianne frowned because he didn’t even look at her. A strange air of sadness and depression followed his slumped form.

Bog took most of the eggs and sausage, then retreated outside, not saying anything to anyone, not even Dawn. Sunny left with promises to return in four or five days, leaving Marianne and Dawn in a remote cabin with a strange man, who was not really a man. Dawn settled into writing, sitting out on the front porch with her laptop.

Marianne sat with Dawn, watching over her protectively as Bog wandered around the property. He walked in circles, just inside the trees, in a sulking, angry posture. Slowly, the realization sank in that he looked lonely. Incredibly lonely, sad, depressed, and miserable. Marianne stared at him, the guilt increasing because she had said things that were honestly, not like her. She called him an it on several occasions, put off by the fact he was inhuman, yet, Sunny said there weren’t any differences inside.

Her heart went out to him, thinking about how nice he was to Dawn because she treated him like a person, not an animal, an actual person. And what had Marianne done? She kept trying to dehumanize him, because quite simply, he was extremely attractive, even walking around sulking and throwing his anger around in little bursts of activity, stomping on branches, kicking leaves and rocks. He acted exactly like anyone else would in his situation, he was upset, and there was no one to talk to—except two girls who couldn’t fully understand him.

Handsome.

It was the eyes that pulled it all together. He had the body of an athlete--a swimmer, long smooth muscles, broad shoulders, everything at the peak of performance. His face was unusually sharp, lined, scarred. If it weren’t for his eyes, those stunning blue orbs with their unnatural brilliance, he wouldn’t be that attractive. And it occurred to Marianne, it was because eyes are the window to your soul and his eyes, they held far more emotions and thoughts than his actions betrayed. Now, his face, that was always changing, shifting from expression to expression that did little to conceal what he was feeling. He was an open book.

Bog vanished into the forest, and Marianne kept tabs on where he went. It was late afternoon, and time to think about what she would prepare for dinner. She planned to roast a couple of chickens, one for tonight and one for leftovers tomorrow. Marianne went over her dinner list, getting up to prepare the oven.

Half an hour later, she stepped out onto the front porch to see her sister still typing away gleefully, completely unaware of any passage of time. Bog was nowhere in sight. Where had he vanished off to? He had spent the morning and most of the afternoon wandering around in view. Curious, Marianne stepped off the porch and headed to where she last saw him.

What animal would she find him communing with this time? She desperately wanted to see him do it again. Normal people didn’t have wild animals walk up to them like that, and when he talked to them, he seemed to be holding an actual conversation. Thoughts whirled through her head as she passed into the trees. Besides his looks and becoming small, what made fairies different from humans? Why was he so annoyingly smug at times?

Marianne didn’t go far before she heard the sound of running water. There was a little brook running through the land, perfect for wading in. That might be fun tomorrow. Right now, it was a bit too hot for her comfort, but she was looking for Bog. She would have to tell Dawn about the brook tomorrow.

There was no sign of Bog, so Marianne decided to walk the bank of the brook, just a little way. She could easily find her way back by following it down. The banks were shallow, covered in soft grass and plants, with pebbles making the bed. Marianne smiled at the inviting water as it flowed lazy and clear next to her, making the most pleasant sound.

She didn’t realize she had found Bog until she was almost upon him, paying too much attention to the trout, frogs, and dragonflies that proliferated around the stream. There was a rise in the land, a human-made wall about three feet tall, covered in moss. Beyond that, a sight that made Marianne freeze and her skin crawl in alarm.

There was a beautiful little waterfall made up of natural rock with water from a spring streaming out of it, and beneath it stood Bog. And he was naked, with his back turned to her. Marianne swallowed, turning red, because first of all, she hadn’t intended to walk upon him. Second, because he was on display in the sunlight, showing off a myriad of small and large scars over his arms and shoulders.

For the moment, only his shoulders and upper body were exposed as he held his head under the water and let it flow. She could see the hint of a smile on his cheeks and was unsure what to do about catching him like this. Of course, she couldn’t see anything. Marianne relaxed, unsure why she reacted the way she did. There was no reason to be embarrassed. How many times had she seen men without their shirts on growing up? It was a part of summer.

“Bog,” Marianne called out uncertainly. “Dinner’s going to be done in an hour. I just thought I’d tell you because I’m not going searching for you twice.”

“Eh?” Bog turned and rose out of the pool, rivulets of water running over his body. He had been sitting, not standing and Marianne’s face flushed crimson as she stared. It wasn’t intentional, but she couldn’t move, and he scowled at her. “What?” He glanced at himself, then held up his arms, turning. “Yes, I’m aware I’m hideous to ye. Ye don’t have to stare.”

When he got back around, Marianne had taken a step back and stammered, “No!”

He looked down and suddenly realized why her face was red, and he laughed. Then he leered at her and began stepping to the side of the pool where his clothes were. “Nudity embarrasses ye? Funny, that of all things would.”

Marianne turned away, grimacing. “Anyway, I’m making dinner.”

Bog scowled, standing in the sunlight to allow the breeze to dry him. Then he turned and looked at Marianne. “I suppose ye’ll add this to your list of ways I’ve insulted ye.”

“Put your clothes on,” groaned Marianne, attempting to settle her flustered nerves. She began stiffly walking away.

“I sleep in the nude!” he shouted after her with a parting laugh.

Marianne moaned, stroking her temples. Not-a-man did not lack in the ‘what makes a man’ department. Cold water or not. There was no way she would get that image out of her head, him standing in the sunlight with water dripping down his body. What would this annoying fairy do next now that he found something that was genuinely embarrassing? 

The vision of Bog strutting into the kitchen in the buff passed through her mind, right in front of Dawn. Her little sister wrote cute, sweet romance novels, not the more hardcore raunchy things, and honestly, for someone her age, she had this innocent nature to her nobody could be allowed to ruin.

“Do not do that in front of Dawn!” Marianne turned and shouted to Bog.

“Fine, I’ll save it for you!” Bog yelled back.

Marianne groaned again, angrily kicking at a rock. Her foot slipped, and she yelped, stumbling and falling into the brook with a loud splash. The next thing she knew, Bog was next to her, grabbing her arm to pull her out of the water—still naked.

“Are ye okay?” He asked in concern, one arm around her shoulders, bowing to look at her legs, his damp but soft black hair brushing over her face.

“I’m fine!” Marianne huffed in shock, pushing him away. “Don’t touch me!” She stumbled away from him, almost falling again, then found her footing and ran through the trees, mortified. How had he moved so fast? She hadn’t gotten too far, but his speed seemed superhuman. Of course, it was, he was a fairy.

A very, very attractive fairy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They should get along better, huh?


	11. The End of the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne's trying to be nice, really she is.  
> Bog's trying to be nice, really he is.

Bog wandered around the forest because it gave him something to do. Usually, he was a busy, hands-on king. That thought brought to mind how it was his choice to do the yearly medicine raid. Why not? He had wings, and it was easy for him to do the job. Only he was careless, and now, now he was stuck with these two girls in a cabin, trying not to worry about his mother and his colony. 

The past few days had been awful and were not getting better. Dawn was fine. She was nice and pleasant, but Marianne, she was obnoxious. He could not understand how someone could rescue him, which he owed her for, and then treat him the way she did. The only thing he could think of was that he was just so loathsome to look at, to be around, she detested him and was simply a good person. 

She risked a lot to rescue him. It was admirable. That awful man that grabbed him was her boyfriend, and apparently, that relationship ended right there. Yet, Marianne didn’t seem hurt by it. She was angry, yes, but that anger was directed at him and his actions that interrupted her life. Yes, she had a right to be mad at him, and he had a right to be annoyed that she referred to him as an ‘it’ and gave him looks like he was a monster. 

In reality, he kept away from them to avoid angering Marianne. He didn’t want her to remain so mad at him, and her scorn stung. It was a constant reminder of the error he made. Bog was homesick to the point that he felt ill at times, or maybe it was the human food. In any case, he was hyper-alert about everything going on around him in this strange forest. He wanted his nice, comfortable castle, surrounded by his people and his annoying, nagging mother. 

Bog sighed, waking up for the second morning in a row in a strange place. The room smelled wrong, and he stayed up late to make sure he slept soundly. His feet hung off the end of the bed, even when he positioned himself at an angle. It was too small and the wrong shape. Fairies had a tendency to sleep on their sides or stomachs because of their wings, and their beds were oblong or round. This bed was too narrow to position himself correctly. 

The nauseously sweet smell of pancakes and syrup reached him, seeping below the crack at the bottom of the door. Despite his disdain for so much sweetness, he crawled out of bed, in his boxers, reaching down to scratch a morning itch. This body was so weak and unprotected. He stretched, grumbling, and began dressing, realizing after two days of wear, he only had one outfit, and unlike his typical armored plating, he couldn’t just wash it while it was on his body. The afternoon dip the day before helped cleanse his body of sweat and smell and that as important. As a predator, you didn’t want to smell strong. 

Bog arrived downstairs to find Marianne plating pancakes. He reached for a plate, and she slapped his hand. Startled, Bog pulled his hand back and glared at her.

“You keep taking your food and leaving. Why don’t you eat with us.” She lifted the plate in one hand and gripped his wrist in the other. 

“Why?” Bog didn’t budge, reaching out with his free hand to try to get the plate from her. “Just give me the plate. I won’t burden ye with my presence.”

“Sit at the table,” Marianne grimaced, “please.”

Bog stared at her for a moment, then pulled away with a growl. He spun on his heels and began walking. “Bog!” Marianne set the plate on the table and chased after him.

“Leave me alone.” Bog reached the door, trying to escape and not end up trapped in some weird social situation he didn’t want to be in.

“I want you to eat with us.” Marianne stopped following and called out to him. Bog froze. She walked to him, laying a hand on the middle of his back. “You don’t have to be alone.”

“Marianne made you a pancake pie,” Dawn said from the kitchen, placing a big plate of pancakes and sausages in the center of the table. “It’s full of sausages and maple syrup.” She giggled. “Come eat with us, Boggy.”

Bog slumped, thinking it over.” Ye called me creepy and left me in an aquarium.” Her hand moved, fingertips rising up the center of his back, and he shivered. “I don’t understand ye.” He opened the door and left, too confused to deal with her and her touch. Women were perplexing to begin with, but Marianne was an enigma.

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry!” The door banged as Marianne passed through it and chased after him. “Now, look, you’re going to eat this because I made it for you.”

Bog turned with a sneer, “You can not apologize for prejudices ye still hold.”

“You’re one to talk,” snarled Marianne, darting in front of him, splashing a little milk out of the glass in her hand. In the other, she had the pancakes and held them out to Bog. “You think you’re superior to me.” Bog stared at her, his lips pressed together in a thin line. “I don’t care, okay. We’re stuck here together, and we should try to get along. I made this for you because I know you’ll like it. Peace offering?”

And she smiled.

She had a pretty smile.

Bog’s anger cooled. Marianne was trying to help, standing in front of him with an offering. It smelled delicious. “Okay.” Bog reached out to take the plate and glass. Mmm…. Milk. He sipped, then smiled.

Marianne grinned, reaching out to put one hand on his waist, the other on his arm to make him turn back to the cabin. “Come on, inside, like a civilized person.”

Bog allowed himself to be turned, then walked back into the house, smiling as she kept her warm little hand on his back. In his kingdom, nobody but family and kids who didn’t know any better were allowed to touch him, but Marianne kept doing it, and honestly, he liked it. An odd warmth seared through his body, tingling.

He liked her.

Even though she was annoying, he couldn’t stop the feeling of admiration for what she did for him. It meant nothing, not really, but she might be entertaining.

###

Marianne was proud of herself for getting Bog inside to eat, even though he didn’t talk. He thanked her for breakfast, then went outside, leaving them behind. “Could have at least offered to help clean up,” grumbled Marianne, clearing the table with Dawn’s assistance.

“He’s a king, I bet he doesn’t do stuff like the dishes or even cook,” giggled Dawn, dancing around the kitchen area and placing dishes into the sink. She began running water into the sink, singing an energetic pop tune.

“You seem to be doing well.” Marianne walked up next to her sister, placing the leftovers on the counter. “Considering.”

“I can do my job anywhere!” Dawn gave her a cheerful smile. “I’ve written thirty thousand words in two days! This is great! I love it here!” She paused, her face somehow managing to light up even more. “Marianne, we should move out into the country!”

Marianne stared at her sister, grimacing. “It’s an hour to the closest theater or even a grocery store. You’d die out here of boredom!”

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t!” Dawn went to washing the dishes. “I’m having a good time.”

“All you’re doing is writing,” muttered Marianne. “There are so many gross bugs around her. You should have seen what I had to remove from the couch this morning. Ugh.”

“Bog?” Dawn glanced at her sister, speaking in a teasing tone.

Marianne made a face at her, pulling out a dry towel to dry the plates as Dawn rinsed them.

“He’s sweet.” Dawn went back to singing, handing her sister a plate.

“To you,” said Marianne with a sigh. “Oh, I didn’t tell you what he did to me yesterday. I went looking for him and found a stream…”

###

Trout.

Bog licked his lips as he waded into the water. Delicious, fat trout swam in the brook. He stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out his scepter. Holding it between his fingers, he kneeled and tapped the surface of the water. “Iasg stun.” A ripple spread out around him, and half a dozen fish rolled out from under the banks, floating on the slow current.

“Perfect.” Bog selected three of them, tossing them onto the grassy bank. He only had a few seconds before they began wriggling and swam back to their hiding places like nothing happened. “I’ll surprise the girls with something good for lunch.” He left the fish on the bank, walking further up the stream to repeat the process.

Soon, he had eight large, plump trout—and nothing to carry them in. Bog scowled, pulling the bottom of his t-shirt out to form a temporary pouch to place the slimy fish into. They fought him every inch of the way until he had them secure. While dealing with the fish, he heard Marianne and Dawn laughing somewhere further down the stream.

A short time later, Bog made it to the kitchen with his cargo, pleased with his catch. He put a stopper in the sink, turning on the faucet to pour cold water on the slimy trout. They wriggled about, still alive. The thought of the look on the girls’ faces when they saw him came to mind, and he decided not to clean them until they saw them alive.

Then he went to the bathroom to rub soap onto his shirt and clean it of the fish slime. By that time, the girls still hadn’t returned. Bog tossed his shirt on the stairwell railing and went out to look for them.

He had to admit, after that morning’s conversation with Marianne, he felt better. Everything seemed a little more pleasant and warm, almost enjoyable if he could keep from thinking about his colony. Not knowing was the hardest part. Yes, they had plans in place, but he wasn’t there to oversee them.

Laughter and splashing echoed through the trees, and Bog grinned, realizing where the girls were. He turned toward the pool, approaching as quietly as he could. It only took a few minutes to reach it, and he spotted their clothing floated on several flat rocks nearby. 

Bog only intended to have a little fun with them, specifically Marianne, who had caught him in this pool the day before. He figured out which folded pile of clothing was hers and sat on top of them, calling out to let them know he was there, “Enjoying a swim? Why didn’t ye invite me, Marianne?” He teased.

“Gah, you better not have been watching us!” Marianne’s head bobbed over the side of the wall. Neither sister had been standing and were enjoying the cold water.

“I’m a gentleman,” huffed Bog with playful indignation. 

“Oh yes, I saw how much of a gentleman you were yesterday,” hissed Marianne. “Get off my clothes and go somewhere else, Bog.”

“We’ll be out in a little bit,” giggled Dawn. “Go away.”

“I don’t need any strange fairies seeing me naked.” Marianne’s eyes held an irritated gleam as she glared at Bog.

“Ah, but it was okay to sneak up on me?” Bog smirked, tilting his head to one side. He got up and slid his hands beneath her clothes, eliciting a gasp.

“Put my clothes down!” Marianne shrieked, and she stood up, looking like she was going to come over the wall after him. Bog had no choice but to look, but he averted his eyes in immediate shock. He had not intended to get her out of the water. “You’re awful!” Marianne slapped her arms across her chest and sank back into the water, her face crimson with embarrassment.

“Like that would fluster me at all.” It was safe to look at her again, and Bog sneered, dropping her clothes, trying to banish that image from his mind. Then he froze, catching movement out of the corner of his eye. “Marianne. Dawn. Get out of the water.”

“You wish!” Marianne retorted, moving away from the side of the pool and Bog.

“No. Get out of the water. Now!” Bog gestured to the other side of the brook, moving aside. “I’m not looking at ye.”

Dawn squealed in shock, splashing as she saw what Bog was indicating. A large brown bear was shuffling through the leaves nearby, coming in their direction. When Dawn splashed, it lifted is head and fixed small round eyes on her and snorted, then bristled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have bad news. I have written 34 chapters and 76,356 words and I am not done. They kept doing their OWN thing and destroyed my plot numerous times. I am FINALLY in the end stretch.
> 
> I have worse news. Three days ago I began writing the second book. :D Danaknowsitall is assisting me. :D It's called the Dryad Dilemna. We're at 15,352 words. :D :D I'm not sure if we're posting it not. Maybe. Don't know. :D 
> 
> SO yes, I began writing the sequel without finishing the first book!!! We're just writing the Dryad stuff and I'll wrap the other stuff around it.
> 
> OH, I have even worser news.... at some point, this will tie into Fairy Garden and it's getting a sequel.


	12. Bear!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giant bug fairy vs bear! WHO will win?!

Marianne grabbed her sister, pushing her in front of her as she watched Bog splash into the stream, focused on the bear. "Go!" Bog walked toward the bear, looking as threatening as he could, uttering a few words in another language. Dawn fell to the ground on the other side of the wall, scrambling to grab her clothes as Marianne hesitated, concerned for Bog.

Whatever Bog had done to the deer did not work on the bear. The large animal shook its head and stood for a moment. It rose into the air, and Marianne realized to her horror exactly what was going on before the shimmer passed over Bog. His human form faded into reality as he faced the bear--two predators fighting over territory. 

Bog's attention was on the bear as the plates over his shoulders rose and rattled, increasing his size and ferocity. The display did not stop the bear as it dropped to all fours and charged. Marianne swung a leg over the wall, her eyes still on the pair as Bog nimbly sidestepped the bear, raking it across the shoulder with his long curving nails. With incredible speed, the bear turned, swiping at Bog.

Marianne dropped to the other side, grabbing her clothes to put her shirt on, then the shorts as her sister screamed at not to put her clothes on. Trees shook on the other side of the pool by the time she got her shoes on and grabbed the closest thing she could find to use as a weapon.

"Get to the cabin, Dawn!" Marianne shrieked, lifting a heavy stick over her shoulder. She crossed the brook to see Bog circling the bear. In only a few minutes, blood dripped from the bear's shoulders and jaws. Bog wasn't doing much better, blood covering his left arm, and he was missing his vambrace. There was a massive gash in his chest armor, ripping through the leather armor, peeling back the leather to expose the pale skin below. 

"Marianne, get away!" Bog shouted at her, not taking his eyes off the bear, preparing for the next onslaught.

"No! You need help!" With that, her legs shaking from the surge of adrenaline, Marianne charged at the bear from behind, swinging the large stick to smack it across the bear's backside. It bounced harmlessly off the chunky animal, and it ignored her, still concentrating on mauling Bog.

"No! I can handle this!" Bog argued, barely evading the swipe of the bear's paws at it charged again, roaring.

Marianne didn't reply, gripping the stick in both hands, bracing it under her arm, lowering the slightly pointed end. She ran forward into the bear's side, aiming for the belly with a furious scream. The end broke the skin and went in a little, enough that the bear shuddered as Marianne threw her whole body into it, gripping the short stubby branches and pushing. The bear roared in pain, swinging its body away from Marianne, turning to face the new threat.

"I'm trusting you!" Marianne shouted, turning to run, the very thing she knew she shouldn't do, but in this case, it was necessary. The bear charged after her with a snarl, and Bog lunged after it. Marianne didn't look back, not wanting to see the result of the awful sounds behind her. There was an unnatural roaring, and then everything went quiet around her.

Then, she turned to look through the trees to see Bog standing over the bear, crouched and heaving for his breath. The animal was no longer moving, but Bog remained over it for a moment longer, head down, then he rose, gripping a short curved knife in his right hand. It was coated in blood, as was his hand down to his wrist.

He said nothing, trying to catch his breath, running his left hand over the bear's head, ruffling the short, thick fur. Marianne slowly made her way back to him, but he didn't look at her. Bog wiped the blade clean, slid it into a hidden sheath on his left side, and then wiped his bloodied hand in the fur. He mumbled something to the bear and slid off to one side. 

"Bog? Are you okay?" Marianne ventured, glancing from the bear up to the tall fairy.

"I'll mend," replied Bog, still not looking at her.

"You are bleeding all the over place!" Marianne noticed how fast the blood flowed over his chest, dripping down his body. "We need to get you back to the cabin and take care of you!"

"I'm fine," Bog grunted, tapping his fingertips over the gashes, peering at the bright red blood when he lifted his hand. He began walking, crossing the brook to get to the house. Marianne followed close behind, concerned for him as he left a trail of droplets in the dirt. 

###

His staff would have been useful in that battle. Bog considered a few things as he trudged outside the tree line with Marianne at his side. She grabbed his right arm, and he let her. First of all, he had no idea he had the option of being in his natural form in the human world. He thought those were old wives' tales, nothing more. If he could do this and bring over his weapons and armor, he could do the same with his staff. It wouldn't be a useless little piece of metal, but his accustomed to weapon.

Dawn met them just outside the trees in her shirt and jeans, her face pale with panic. "I told you to get to the cabin," Marianne said, groaning at her sister.

"And I told ye to do the same thing," growled Bog. "See if ye two can find something to stop the bleeding." He gestured to his chest. "A towel, a sheet, something. I have to get this off." 

Bog settled onto the porch, sitting with his legs off one side to work at his armored chest plate. It came off in one piece with Marianne's assistance, then the quilted gambeson, soaked with blood, joined it. Reluctantly, Bog laid back on the porch to let the girls press a sheet over his chest to stop the bleeding. He was confident the armor had kept the wounds from being too deep, but they still stung and bled heavily.

From years of having others work on his injuries, Bog remained still, letting them tend to him. He didn't like it, but he did it. The girls were thorough, worrying over him as they stopped the bleeding, then carefully cleaned his chest. It took them over an hour to clean the long gashes and apply steri strips to close them.

"I'm not even going to yell at you for the fish all over the living room." Marianne sat back on her knees, shaking her head at Bog.

"I left them in the sink." Bog tilted his head at her quizically, confused.

"Well, half of them made themselves at home," groaned Marianne, running a hand through her hair. "They're so gross."

"I'm sorry." Bog looked away, closing his eyes. "I was going to prepare them for lunch."

"It was a nice thought," admitted Marianne, "but now the entire house smells like fish." 

Bog said nothing, feeling guilty about causing Marianne and Dawn even more work. They had every reason to be annoyed with him, even Dawn. Marianne picked up Bog's remaining vambrace from where he had laid it when removing his armor. 

"So, most of this is armor?" She turned the textured piece over in her hands, noting how it fixed to Bog's arm. The scales were overlapping, attached to his shoulder pieces, and those laid in a relatively short pile next to him. Beneath, he was unnaturally thin but still muscular.

"Yes," he grunted a reply, imagining how she was looking at him right now. His arms and body were not in the same proportions as a human, nor the majority of fairies. Everything was elongated, tough-skinned, and sharply angled. The armor at least made him look formidable. Without it, he felt small.

"You should get up and move onto the couch in the living room," Marianne said, dropping a hand onto his arm. "You'll be more comfortable. Are you hungry? I'm going to clean the fish and cook them."

"I can eat." Bog moved slowly, pushing himself upright, careful not to move the arm Marianne was touching. She kept her hand on him as he stood, as though he might need to catch him, and the gesture brought a smile to Bog's face.

###

Once upon a time, Marianne studied to be a chef. Two years in culinary school, two years in various countries working in kitchens--and she quit. She returned home to help her sister with her career full time and work up a new plan for her life, one that didn't include people working on getting her fired at every point. She lost her joy for cooking during that time and had only recently begun getting it back, then this happened.

She expertly filleted the fish and prepared them. A couple of cans of green beans went into a pot, along with a can of new potatoes. Not exactly gourmet sides, but the trout would be the star of the meal anyway. Marianne wanted to make sure it was delicious, to thank Bog for what he had done. If he hadn't shown up to tease her, what would have happened?

The thought was horrifying.

Marianne sliced a few pieces of butter off the block and tossed them into the pan, trying not to think about it. Bog's cuts were thankfully not deep, but they would scar, just like the other scars on his body. Worse, he was stuck in his form for a while as he explained he needed at least two days to let the wounds heal. They didn't have any steri strips left to close the gashes a second time.

Bog refused to look at her, as though ashamed by his appearance. On occasion, she caught glimpses of his eyes, and he had that same look in them he had the first time he was forced into that form, sad and ashamed. Marianne didn't like that look at all and wanted to erase it. She tossed the fillets into the pan, watching them carefully as she thought.

What Bog looked like wasn't important. He was a living, breathing, thinking man and was apparently fairly self-conscious, even though he attempted to hide it. However, seeing that he actually wore armor and wasn't really a giant bug was a little comfort. He was a fairy, and his features went with it, exotic, not of this world.

He saved their lives.

Without hesitation, he saved their lives.

He was aggravating. Marianne smirked at the thought, flipping the trout, and a little funny. And that silly crooked smile he had, it did things to her. She wanted to smile back on the rare occasions she saw it, even when it was a smirk or any of the other hundred expressions he tossed at her. 

The trout went onto the plate, and she set it aside to do another batch. What was she thinking? She had been dating Roland for over a year, and after what he did, it didn't even hurt when their relationship ended. It had been dead for months. Roland was far more interested in himself than her, but she allowed it to linger because she wanted someone in life.

Now, she had no one, and she should stop looking at Bog and feeling things for him. She tried to pinpoint when it began. It wasn't seeing him turn into a human, even though she had indeed admired his backside, no, it started when he looked at her, this great king among his people, a fairy, pleading for understanding. That was when he became a real person to her and not a strange, supernatural bug-fairy that was creepy and disturbing. Their eyes met, and it set her on fire because he needed her, and he didn't even have to say a word.

It was like, a question of 'Are you with me?' And she answered, yes, she was with him, despite herself. Marianne would never have been able to turn him away, no matter what he looked like. She finished assembling the next plate and called her sister. Marianne picked up the first plate, heaped green beans and potatoes on it, then walked across the living area to the couch Bog sat on, propped up with a few pillows so he could partially recline.

He shifted to sit upright and accept the plate, his head still down. Marianne sat next to him, putting a hand on his arm. Bog looked at her hand, then slowly raised his head to look at her, his mouth set into a thin line.

"Thank you." Marianne gave him her best smile, hoping she looked sincere.

"Ye do not need to thank me. It's what I was born to do. Ye don't think people for breathing," Bog spoke low, then looked away. "This smells good." He picked up the fork, beginning with the fish. And he smiled a beautiful smile that took his entire face with it all the way to his eyes.

"Enjoy." Without thinking, Marianne rose, leaned over, and kissed him on the side of his head. Bog's fork clattered on his plate, and Marianne hurried off before he could say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished the book yesterday, woohooo!! :D 39 glorious chapters where they did not cooperate for ONE MOMENT! Hahahaha.  
> I hope you enjoy it!


	13. Bare Necessities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Injured from his fight with the bear, Bog ends up at the mercy of the sisters, who really just want to take care of him.

Confusion reigned in Bog’s mind for much of the day. Girls were an enigma to him, and these two were outright bizarre. Kind Dawn tended to him with sweet affection, doing everything she could to make him comfortable. Marianne was still stand-offish, but it appeared it was more out of respect and concern that he wouldn’t like it.

Bog didn’t talk, lost in his thoughts. Marianne kissed him. He was startled when she did it—that gentle warmth as her lips pressed to his forehead. The odd sensation struck hard, momentarily stunning him. Outside of his mother, he had never been kissed in his life. Any thoughts leading to something like that had been destroyed when his first attempts at relationships had been rudely rebuffed—far too many times.

There was no reason for the human woman to kiss him, none at all. No, maybe it was just gratitude for saving her life. Bog smiled, reliving the emotion, resting on his side to avoid putting pressure on his mangled wings or chest. The couch ended up being more comfortable to lay on, and the lights had been out for some time.

So he was surprised when a voice came out of nowhere. “Just me, Bog. I got up to get a drink and thought I’d ask if you needed anything.” Marianne, dressed in loose sleep shorts and a t-shirt, crossed the room from the stairs to the kitchen.

Hmmm. Bog could think of a few things, noting she wore nothing beneath the shirt--things that would end up getting him slapped and were less than decent. Somehow, his thoughts fled to an array of options he had never entertained in his life. They were not thoughts he would allow to linger. 

Bog sighed, saying nothing, banishing his imagination to a deep, solitary place where women did not exist. Don’t be tempted to go anywhere near there. No. Stay away. She just kissed you because she was grateful. There was no other reason, and you are not the type of person to take advantage of another.

Marianne filled a glass with water, then walked into the living room, standing in the darkness. Bog watched her curiously as she tipped the glass and took a long drink. “Do you want anything?” she repeated the question.

“No.” Bog lied, looking away. Just once, why couldn’t he have something he wanted? The reasons flooded into his mind. First of all, Marianne was a human and not like him. Second, she was a pretty human who could find a far less monstrous appearing man if she so desired.

Marianne approached the couch and to his surprise, turned to sit against him on the couch. “You can talk to me if you want, Bog. I know, I took my anger out on you, but what you did for Dawn and me, I owe you.”

“Please, go away,” muttered Bog. “I’m trying to sleep.”

“Do you need any more ibuprofen? I’m sure you’re hurting.” Marianne turned sideways, crossing one long leg over the other, her shorts shifting up. 

What was she doing? If he didn’t know any better, her casualness had turned into some bizarre form of flirting. 

“I have a high pain tolerance,” sighed Bog, wondering if he should outright ask, but no, he wouldn’t. Instead, he looked at her legs, those long, well-muscled legs that ended in perfect human feet with tiny delicate toes. For all her fire and fierceness, she was packed into a somewhat dainty form. Not as fragile-looking as her sister, but so small compared to him.

And he wanted to touch her, run his fingers along her soft skin, touch her face, legs, everywhere he could reach, and with his arms, that was everywhere. Bog’s breathing increased as he tried to swallow his emotions. Warmth flowed from his chest outward. What was she doing to him? A sense of euphoria clouded his thoughts. Just looking at her, right now, she awoke emotions he couldn’t remember ever feeling before. He wanted her to stay, just sitting with him.

“If you need anything, call for me.” Marianne rose, and when she did, she touched his arm, dragging her fingers down it, winning a shiver from Bog. “I’m leaving my door open to listen for you.”

“Thank you,” Bog whispered, watching her leave, confused by her actions once again.

Why did she do that?

There was no reason for her to touch him like that. Every time she did, it set him on fire. How was she managing to make him feel so strange?

Bog sighed, closing his eyes. Perhaps things would be clearer in the morning. At least, he would heal and, when he was ready, shift into a more acceptable human form in another day’s time.

###

Marianne slid into her bed, chewing on her lower lip in thought. She might have gone too far in making sure Bog understood he didn’t scare her anymore. Part of her drove her to touch him, to make the first moves.

First moves?

With what goal in mind? To cuddle up to the bizarre-looking fairy downstairs? That was so unlike her. She never cared to do such things with Roland, but then again, he wasn’t the type to be overly affectionate.

Why was she even having these thoughts? Dangerous thoughts about someone who most likely would turn his nose up at her. Perhaps the inevitable rejection was part of it—another nail in the coffin that held Marianne’s love life.

Even when they argued, she had this sense of bizarre attraction, stepping closer to him instead of away. Marianne took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She needed to stop this. This was a temporary situation. When it was over, everything would go back to the way it was.

Bog said he would leave, and she would never see him again. It wasn’t likely that had changed. Marianne grumbled, annoyed with herself for the way she acted toward him. It would have been cool to have a fairy for a friend, and she blew it. 

The notion crept into her mind that maybe, just maybe, there was a way to correct what had happened. Bog was polite when she was. He tended to meet her words with the same emotions and did not back down. He had an air of nobility around him that commanded attention, and it annoyed her. Yet, he didn’t act entitled.

He brought them fish.

Marianne giggled at the image of the slimy trout flopping around on the floor. It was funny, and if he hadn’t been injured, she would probably have enjoyed laying into him over the mess they made.

She would have enjoyed it.

Why?

He didn’t deserve her yelling at him for something he did with good intentions. Bog was trying to help, and she wanted to yell at him.

Why?

Marianne wrestled with the question, and then it hit her. Because it was the only way, she could interact with him. Bog was a fairy king, not a human, and she had no idea how to treat him. She grimaced, rolling over and pulling her pillow over her head.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

She could talk to him. Bog always looked so lonely--he would likely welcome conversation. What could they talk about? Marianne began going down a list. They could talk about him, his kingdom, things that interested him. If he didn’t want to talk about that, what then?

Marianne didn’t want to bore him with her life, that was for sure. Maybe this would be better to think about in the morning? She grumbled and shifted around uneasily. It would be so easy to get up, go downstairs, and just to him. She had a sneaky suspicion he wouldn’t be asleep. 

###

Bog slept lightly when he was in unfamiliar territory, and he woke quickly to every little out of place sound. He did not miss the scraping of claws on wood from some large creature prowling outside the house. There was more than one--large animals snuffling around the front door, their claws making harsh noises on the door and walls. Slowly, he pushed himself up, grimacing as pain shot through his chest. It wasn’t too extreme, but enough to tell him he should be laying still and not moving.

He sat in the darkness, listening. Bears. It was bears, and they clawed at the door as though searching for a way inside. Bog scowled, sliding his hand up to his head to pick out the tiny version of his staff he had concealed in his head leaves. He tilted the weapon between his fingers, sighing at how small it was and how much he would like to have it full-sized. 

How could he get the staff to the right size in the human world? It would be easier to wield if he could figure out an answer. Perhaps it was a word he didn’t know. “Leudachadh.” Bog held the staff out in front of him, speaking words, even as a thought nagged at him that he shouldn’t be experimenting. “

Mòr! Meud làn! Crossover! Doras!” the staff didn’t respond in any way and remained the same, minuscule size, even smaller in his large hand. He didn’t even know how he ended up looking like himself in the human world. As far as he knew, it wasn’t possible, and it still baffled him. The same word that made him human-sized and appear as a human shifted him into a human form from this one. 

It came to him when the bear emerged, the words he had to say to shift himself from human back to that form. They were not the same words the fairy hunter had spoken. No, the words were bi fìor. Be True. He was in danger again and needed help, so he let his emotions go, free as they were when he faced the first bear.

Come to me.

“Thig thugam.” The right words appeared in Bog’s mind out of nowhere, and he laughed as the staff filled his hand. Bog rose, both hands on the scepter, grinning as he listened to the bears. They sensed something was going on and had pulled back, away from the door, making frightened sounds.

“Too many bears,” growled Bog, walking to the closest window and pushing the curtain aside to peer through it. There were half a dozen bears in the yard, black bears. The moment they saw him, they grew nervous and backed away further from the house. “Yeah, you get out of here.” Bog stared at them, then placed his staff in front of him, speaking, “Leave, now. I claim this land as mine, and ye are not welcome on it.” The stone glowed, reflecting off the animal’s eyes.

Unlike the brown bear, the black bears grunted and turned, loping to the trees surrounding the house. They vanished into the darkness, and Bog sighed, leaning his head against the glass. Good, they were gone and wouldn’t likely pester him or the girls any further.

The fairy king’s relief was short-lived as a roar echoed through the house--a massive hulking form rising in front of the window. A paw lashed out for him, smashing the glass. Bog gasped, leaping back, swinging his staff down to prod the creature as it hooked its massive paws over the sill and began tugging violently on the wood. Bits and pieces splintered and flew into the air as Bog growled and threatened the bear with severe swearing in Gaelic Scottish.

The inside of the house echoed with the bear’s roars as Bog attempted to dissuade it with the head of his staff. There wasn’t much room to position himself, and the angry bear continued clawing at the wood. Bog continued his attack, growling and snarling as he jabbed at the creature.

Bog wasn’t sure how long he was at the window with the bear, but he was sweating and exhausted by the time it backed off. Something warm and wet dripped over his chest, and he cringed, knowing he had broken the wounds open on his chest. Worse, he understood his presence brought the bears to the house, and while the black bears would respect his authority, the brown one meant to challenge him to the death. Heaving and lost in his thoughts, Bog didn’t realize he wasn’t alone.

Dawn and Marianne stood on the stairs behind him, staring in awe and horror. They had seen the whole thing, from the moment Bog had risen to the window breaking. They had heard Bog talking and came to see what was going on, then stopped on the stairs when the bear broke the window.

“Bog.” Marianne came down the stairs, speaking gently, with Dawn on her heels. “Are you okay?”

Bog cringed, not wanting to turn around and let them see him, but he had to. Grimacing, he turned, his head low and shoulders heaving forward. “We need to board the window.” He tapped the butt of his staff on the floor, motioning to the opening. 

“Oh, no!” Dawn rushed around Marianne, a hand over her mouth as she looked at his chest. “We need to stop the bleeding!”

“Yes, yes, but I would rather that bear not come back and pull down the wall,” grumbled Bog, glancing over his shoulder at the window. The walls were sturdy, but the area around the window had been severely clawed and broken. If that bear persisted on the window, he would eventually open up enough space for his shoulders to fit through. Then he would be dealing with a bear in the house.

“I’ll take care of it. Sunny showed me the boards and tools in the closet upstairs.” Marianne took off for the stairs, glancing over her shoulder as she went.

Dawn stared at Bog’s chest and the blood once again coating it. She grimaced and darted off to retrieve a first aid kit. “Mom taught me how to sew, but I never thought I’d have to use it on someone.” And she was gone, leaving Bog still trying to catch his breath. He heard the pair of them moving around and remained where he was guarding the window. 

This was his fault.

Bog closed his eyes, grinding his teeth, flexing his gnarled fingers around his staff. One stupid act of carelessness—thinking everything was as it should have been. And here he was. Inside a house in territory that was not his, without his colony, trapped with two human women who did not deserve the trouble he brought them.

When this was all over, it would be best for him to never come near a human again—especially not these two.

They did not deserve any of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha... I am amusing myself. :D :D


	14. Guilty Persuasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne and Dawn tend to a cut up Bog and he's having a difficult time dealing with their attention, especially Marianne's.

Marianne cleaned up the broken glass, then nailed a flat piece of plywood over the opening. Once again, Bog laid flat on his back as Dawn gently dabbed at the blood on his chest. Not all of the steri strips pulled free, but enough had. She sprayed a freezing cold antibiotic on his chest that stung, then made everything feel numb. Bog closed his eyes, blocking out the sound of Dawn humming an overly cheerful song as she began closing the gash as well as she could with a curved needle made just for that purpose.

“Our mom taught us how to do this when we were kids.” Marianne sat on her knees next to Bog on the other side, watching her sister. “She saw some, uhm, bad things as an ER Doctor that she never really told us about. But it must have been horrible for her to teach her six-year-old daughter how to sew up her teddy bear with surgical stitches.”

Bog opened one eye. “The jacket I have. That’s my father’s. He was in the Navy twice.” He chuckled. “Not the Air Force. The Navy. He served in both World Wars and other conflicts.”

Marianne stared at him. “Fairies do things like that? I mean, take part in human wars?”

“Do yer wars affect us?” Bog tilted his head. “We come out to protect our countries when it’s necessary. Not all of us, of course, but there are always those who serve, and nobody ever knows it.”

“I never thought of something like that.” Marianne reached out to lay a hand on Bog’s shoulder, noting the scars. “Did you?”

“No.” Bog scowled, closing his eyes. “I had enough to deal with in my colony and the world around us. I didn’t need to take part in whatever you humans felt was important to fight over.”

“How old are you?” Marianne’s fingers slid over one scar, then another, her touch tingling over his bare skin.

“Age isn’t all that important to fairies,” replied Bog, fighting the urge to respond to her touch and acknowledge that it was pleasant.

“Hmm, I bet if your father fought in those wars, you would have been at his side, so you have to be, what, eighty?” Marianne threw a number out cand Bog made a face.

“I’m not that old. I’m thirty-six,” Bog said with a groan. “And when I look like a human, that’s how old I’m going to look for a couple hundred years.”

“Stop moving,” Dawn chided gently. “I don’t want to slip and stab you. This looks bad enough. It’s all red and puffy.”

“Sorry,” muttered Bog, trying to remain as still as possible. Marianne was still touching him, and he didn’t ask her to stop. He thought about it, but after what he had been through, he was tired. It felt good and was a distraction from Dawn’s stitching. Instead, he bit back the sighs that threatened to escape, grimacing and biting his tongue, squeezing his eyes shut.

Marianne’s fingers slipped down his arm, sending delightful tingles shooting through his body. It was amazing, and he lost himself in that gentle touch. He would never forget this moment, even if he couldn’t act upon it. Dawn finished far too fast, tying the last stitch into place, then dabbing over it with a damp cloth.

“You know, tomorrow morning, I think I’m going to give you a bath. Marianne leaned back, dropping her hands on her legs as she looked over Bog’s exposed chest and arms.

“What?” Bog gave her a startled look, his first thoughts going to the pool, and how taking a bath wasn’t a good idea.

“A sponge bath.” Marianne laughed, smiling at him. “To clean up the blood so we can make sure the antibiotic gets to where it needs to go. I’ll be gentle.”

Bog grunted, looking away. “I guess.” He wasn’t sure if he wanted her doing that, but what harm was there in it? He had to keep the gashes clean so that they would heal properly.

“Are you going back to the couch or your bed?” Marianne rose, gesturing to the couch.

“Couch is fine.” Bog groaned, pushing himself partially upright. Marianne crouched, sliding her arms around his, using her shoulder to brace him as he struggled to stand. He scowled, not wanting her assistance, but a fire burned through his chest, the wounds protesting that he was moving at all. 

“I’ll get you something for the pain.” Dawn returned from washing her hands to dig through one of their first aid kits.

Bog settled on the couch, pursing his lips as the guilt returned. This was his fault. Everything was his fault. They should not have to take care of him. He was such a fool. Bog sighed, staring up at the ceiling, considering a few things he could do to make it up to him. There was no way he would vanish into the world when this was over without doing something to make up for what he did to these two human girls.

Their kindness was worse than when she was mad at him. At least when Marianne was angry, he knew how to reply, arguing back and getting mad at her. But this, this was uncharted territory.

###

Early the next morning, Marianne stumbled down the stairs in a haze. Dawn was up and sitting on the couch, typing and humming. Bog was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is he?” Marianne groaned, glancing into the kitchen.

“He said he was taking a walk to make sure the bears are gone.” Dawn didn’t look up, busily typing.

“He shouldn’t be moving around at all.” Marianne headed for the door, annoyed that she would have to go outside and drag a giant fairy back inside and force him to sit and stop looking for a fight.

She stepped onto the porch, slamming the door behind her, and she stopped, her eyes landing on the gouges in the wood in front of her. Slowly, she turned and looked at the window, examining the damage to the house. Deep gouges marked where the bear had clawed at the window.

Marianne sighed, shaking her head, then she headed for the woods, keeping her eyes open for Bog—and bears. She planned to lure him inside with promises of breakfast. She knew how much he loved eggs. He would eat an entire carton if he were allowed to—probably raw.

Goosebumps ran up Marianne’s arms as she walked around the house, hearing Bog’s voice. And she froze, spotting the tall fairy standing in the middle of half a dozen crows. One perched on his shoulder while he spoke to another on his hand. The birds were completely silent, listening to him.

Bog held up his free hand, offering the bird on his hand something before tossing the rest of it on the ground. The crows cawed, eagerly picking at what appeared to be a handful of trail mix. This time, Marianne didn’t catch a word of what he said.

“Do you talk to animals?” Marianne couldn’t resist asking, motioning to the crows. The birds glanced at her, then continued eating, the one on Bog’s hand cawing.

“It’s called Animal Magnetism,” replied Bog, gesturing for her to come closer. “Not the same thing your science defines it as. It’s just an ability to communicate with animals. It only works on animals who have a type of soul. Not all animals have one, but many do. You can always tell because they have this look in their eyes.”

The crow on Bog’s shoulder hopped to his arm and perched there, regarding Marianne with a tilt of his head. She lifted her hands to her face, grinning at the bird, surprised that it let her get so close. 

“Crows are a maligned bird,” stated Bog, holding his hand out to Marianne, sending the crow to her. The bird flew to her shoulder, wings outstretched around her as she giggled and cringed. It began picking at her hair. “Because they are black and don’t sound pretty like a songbird.”

“I know they’re supposed to be very smart.” Marianne lifted her arms, and the crow shifted to land on her wrist. It was much heavier than it looked. She held still, smiling at the bird as it regarded her with its beady little black eyes.

“Yes, they are brilliant. I’ve offered them a deal for taking me home when I am able to return to my former size.” Bog turned his back to her, twitching the one wing he had left that responded. The others hung limp and broken, with streaks of blood darkening the translucent surface. “When Sunny returns.”

“Oh.” Marianne frowned, the news not welcome to her ears. He was leaving, and she knew he would, but didn’t like hearing it. Not when she had admitted to herself she liked him and wanted to see if she could get to know him enough that he might visit her again. For all the trouble his presence called, she wanted to see him again.

Something about him drew her to him.

“What would you like for breakfast?” Marianne turned, staring at the crow. “Eggs?” 

“Yes.” Bog replied, staring out into the woods. “Over easy?”

“Yolks runny? Want toast too?” Marianne smiled at the bird as it turned its head back and forth at her. “And what would you like, Mr. Crow?”

“That’s a girl,” chuckled Bog. “She would like eggs too, but those unsalted peanuts ye have in the cabin will do too. I’d prefer we not feed them eggs. Ye know, if ye feed the crows and are nice to them, they will always remember.”

Marianne glanced at Bog, smiling at the thought. Be nice. She could be nice, couldn’t she? How much was it worth to her to win Bog’s trust? Bog turned, his eyes momentarily meeting hers before awkwardly looking away. He kept doing that.

“Uhm, how do I get her off my hand without offending her?” Marianne lifted her hand.

“Just tell her to go,” chuckled Bog in amusement.

“Go on, crow.” Marianne laughed, turning her hand. The bird cawed at her before hopping off and dropping to the ground to pick among the grass for more trail mix.

###

The eggs were divine. Bog savored every bite because it wasn’t a treat he enjoyed often. These were the more natural kind of eggs with dark orange yolks and far more flavor than the mass-produced eggs. Marianne made him three, each perfectly fried in real butter with a little salt and pepper. There was toast too, smeared with butter and grape jelly.

“I’m going to sit out on the porch and do some writing.” Dawn tipped her glass of orange juice to her lips. “What are you doing today?”

“Healing,” muttered Bog, taking a big bite out of the toast and chewing thoughtfully.

“I’m going to give him a bath, tie a ribbon on him, and make sure he doesn’t go wandering off and get dirty or hurt again.” Marianne waved her fork at Bog, giving him a cross look. 

Bog felt the heat rise from his neck to his ears in a matter of seconds. “I didn’t think ye were serious.”

“Are you going to clean yourself?” Marianne raised her eyebrows at him, shoving a bite of egg into her mouth. “It’ll be easier for me to do it.”

“I, uh,” stammered Bog, his eyes trying to focus on everything that wasn’t Marianne. “Ye don’t have to.”

“I insist.” Marianne grinned at Bog.

And that was the end of that.

Bog found himself sitting on a tiny stool in the kitchen as Marianne ran warm water into the sink and prepared. Dawn was out, leaving him alone with her, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to allow this to happen. A sponge bath? Yes, he had dried caked blood and dirt over most of his body and usually would have bathed to get rid of it since it also brought an unwelcome stench of decay.

“Ye don’t have to do this,” muttered Bog, hanging his head.

“I’m just cleaning the blood off your chest.” Marianne came up behind him with a small bucket she had filled from the sink. “And your shoulder.” She walked around in front of him, running her fingers beneath his chin to get him to sit more upright.

He swallowed nervously, looking into her soft brown eyes. They were much less intense than they had been the previous times he dared to look into them. Gently, she passed the end of a sponge over his neck, and he tilted his head, grimacing at the effort it took not to react to it. 

Every part of him urged him to move toward her and sink into her arms as she took care to wipe the sponge over his neck, upper shoulders, both arms, and chest. It was more pleasant than he imagined, even passing over the stitched gashes. There, she lightly dabbed, continually checking his face to make sure she wasn’t hurting him.

Hurt was at the opposite end of the spectrum, the attention drumming up emotions that dulled the constant pain in his chest and arm. An ache rose within him, a strong desire to say something as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy it.

She would not welcome his words.

There was nothing to say.

Bog swallowed hard, beginning to feel a little too warm as she worked her way over his abdomen. He opened his mouth, thinking he should tell her to stop, but at the same time, curious to see what she would do. 

She rose, and when she did, she stopped at eye level. A strange urge hit him, and he shoved it down. Marianne was so close, and she smelled so amazingly good. Everything pushed him, and he firmly resisted. There was no way she wanted anything real to do with him. This was just cleaning his wounds to make him feel better.

It happened before he even knew what hit him. Marianne leaned forward, and he automatically responded, smacking his forehead into hers. “Ow!” Both recoiled as though surprised by the other. Confusion took over, and Bog rose quickly.

“I’m sorry. I got a little dizzy.” Bog nervously moved away from her as she rubbed her forehead. “I uh… I’m going to go lay down.” He stiffly walked away, heading for the stairs, more intent on putting a door between them and staving off embarrassment than anything else.

He was mistaken.

There was no way that human just tried to kiss him.

Breathing hard, he pulled the door closed behind him and leaned against it as though he thought she might follow him or even yell at him for his misconception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha.. it was at this point that I was informed that Bog is a Disney Princess. :D :D I laughed so much. :D


	15. Friends Don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne won't let Bog go.

Marianne followed Bog as he ran up the stairs and hid in his room. She wasn’t letting him go that easy, not when she saw how he kept looking at her. His demeanor had changed entirely during the sponge bath, and she knew for a fact when she leaned in to kiss him--a spur of the moment decision--he responded awkwardly. 

It dawned on her, he had no idea what he was doing, but he moved to meet her. Bog did not move away--no, he failed in the move and retreated, pretending like it hadn’t happened at all and he had not intended to do anything.

She wasn’t letting this go.

Now, she stood on the other side of the bedroom door, listening to the sound of claws tapping the wood. Marianne frowned, taking a deep breath, settling on what she needed to say.

“I know we’ve only known each other a few days,” she began, speaking clearly. “But I wanted to let you know,” and she laughed, “I uh, we, uhm, maybe need to talk.”

“I do not want to talk.” Bog growled from the other side of the door.

Marianne leaned her forehead against the door. “I don’t want you to leave and never come back, Bog. When this is over, if there’s any way…” She reached for the doorknob and turned it. The door had not been locked, and it swung open.

Bog stood on the other side, glowering, breathing more heavily than necessary, his eyes focused on her. “I have a kingdom to protect,” huffed Bog. “Ye know nothing about me or my kind. Ye are an outsider and yer crazy. Absolutely crazy. What are ye thinking?”

“Are you kidding me?” Marianne stared at him. “I’m not thinking at all. I just, I don’t know, since I saw you, you scared me in ways I didn’t understand, and it bothered me.”

“Ye should turn around and leave me alone.” Bog took another step back into the room, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. 

“You’re right. I should.” Marianne frowned, giving him a determined look. “I should because this isn’t an ideal situation to get to know someone in, and I just broke up with my boyfriend for you.” She grimaced, running both hands through her short hair, lightly pulling at it. “Do you realize that? I did what I did for you. I had no idea who or what you were, and you were a massive jerk about everything, but I did it for you.”

“This is all my fault, and that is why ye need to turn around and walk out that door and leave me be.” Bog slumped, gesturing to the door with both hands.” I’m not worth yer time.”

Marianne made a face at the statement. “Not worth my time?” She began laughing. “Bog, are you missing the fact we have nothing but time right now?”

The towering fairy scowled at her, beginning to fidget with his long fingers, twining them comically. “This is not a good time,” he whispered, glancing at her, then to his hands.

“I know it isn’t.” Marianne took a step back, smiling. “I just want you to know something about you… I like something about you.” She turned away, pulling the door behind her, adding, “It’s more likely I’m the one not worth your time. You’re a fairy king, and I’m just Marianne, a crazy human woman who sucks at relationships and always chooses the wrong men.”

Bog lifted a hand and opened his mouth but froze in place at Marianne’s final words. He stared at the door, grimacing, still wanting to follow her and tell her what he thought of her. There was one problem.

He was the wrong man—not even like a man in his current form. Everything about him was out of proportion for a human, and he knew what he looked like, despite her attention. She was crazy, and this craziness would pass when she returned home. This was some weird kind of Stockholm Syndrome where someone began sympathizing with their awful captor.

And that’s what he was, wasn’t it? In a way, he was the reason they were here, trapped in the middle of a forest with no way to leave. It was because of him. With a resigned sigh, Bog walked to his bed and sat, then laid on his uninjured side, staring into the darkness.

Marianne’s feet creaked on the stairs, and then he heard nothing more. He considered several things, talking himself out following her with each reason. Marianne was human. She would grow old while he stayed the same. Fifty or sixty years from now, she would pass away, and he would still have so many decades alone. He would have to watch her die every day.

His people would not be happy about him bringing a human into their midst, especially not as a possible queen. Would she even be able to handle what life was like in his colony? He liked her enough to travel that path of possibility. What hope did he have of her going that far? 

Nobody in his colony questioned him, argued with him, outright defied him, and in general, challenged him—except his mother. Everyone did what he told them to do, and it was not a quality he liked in others.

Marianne would grow tired of him. He had no idea how to keep her interest or if he would retain his. There was a spark between them, a smoldering fire asking for someone to stoke it. A fire that could burn bright and then dim, leaving cold ashes behind.

The flights of fancy he had as a youth, that strong desire to find someone to love and be loved by returned, and he shoved them away, taking deep breaths to settle his emotions. He had a chance. Didn’t he? He could just go with this and perhaps enjoy something for a short time, but then, she would crush him. Giving someone that kind of power was dangerous.

She is crazy.

This is all in her head.

It’s in my head too.

Bog grimaced as the unwelcome thoughts returned--he liked her and wanted to get to know her. Maybe he could keep her at arm’s length until the situation ended, then see what happened afterward.

Or, he could vanish with his people and never see her again. That would be the best option, saving himself from the potential heartache. He was not the right man for her, fairy, or human. She had to see that, and he had to tell her.

Yes, that’s what he would do. He would outright tell Marianne why she needed to stay away from him, and then when the time came, he would leave without looking back. He was a king, and he was an excellent ruler. He gave orders, and his people followed his command, so surely he could come up with enough reasoning to keep Marianne away.

Bog grumbled, closing his eyes, the thoughts rolling through his head, conflicting between logic and a growing desire. Another voice began speaking, whispering to his heart that he should entertain the possibility. What did he have to lose?

He wasn’t the right man.

Marianne wasn’t sure who she was angrier at—herself or Bog. She laid herself out there, and he didn’t respond. Well, the lack of an answer was a response. What was she thinking? He was right. She probably was crazy, having a bizarre attraction to a fairy king. He wasn’t physically what she would ever have pointed at and said, ‘I want that.’ Then again, this attraction went beyond appearance.

Bog could have genuinely been hideous, and she would still have wanted to be around him. Marianne was sure she would have. There was just something about him that clicked with her, and she had this sense that nothing would make her happier in this world than to be with him.

How stupid. 

She was wrapping herself up in another guy. She knew she shouldn’t do it, and she had shunned relationships in the past. Roland only managed to get to her because he said and did all the right things—until he didn’t. 

Roland.

Marianne snarled, heading to the kitchen to see if there was something she could cook or bake to get her mind off everything. She went into the walk-in pantry, checking through the stores that were available in it. Their fresh food was in the refrigerator, and a third of the contents of the pantry was what they had brought with them.

Sliding jars and boxes around, Marianne began sifting through the shelves, grumbling, and huffing to herself. She sneezed on a thin layer of dust she disturbed and noticed several jars that appeared to contain a golden liquid of some sort. She picked one up, checked the date. The date was from the prior spring—or it expired the prior spring. The date written on the lid in black sharpie was just the month and year.

Marianne walked out of the pantry, holding the jar up to the light. Honey. There was a honeycomb sitting in the middle of the jar, and she smiled. Honey had many uses, and the first one to come to mind was not eating or cooking but applying it to Bog’s wounds. He was a fairy, and she couldn’t help but feel a natural ointment over their artificially made ones might work better for him.

She didn’t like how the gashes on his chest were a little puffy and red, that and she knew they hurt. Bog didn’t say anything because, like many men she had known, including her father, you toughed out your injuries. You didn’t whine about them, not like, say Roland if he chipped a nail or got a splinter in his finger.

Seeing the honey calmed her anger because it brought up the need to help Bog and show him she sincerely cared about him. And she did. At first, she thought she was helping a strange creature that was little more than an animal, but she had allowed herself to see him more and more as who he was.

He was stranded here with them in a world he hated. Marianne leaned over the jar of honey, thinking, worrying her lower lip like she often did when something perplexed her. Bog didn’t trust them, yet it was clear he now considered them his to protect. He said he would leave when Sunny returned, meaning he wouldn’t go before then, even after his wounds healed enough to shift.

Bog had the crows to take him home. He didn’t need them for anything. Marianne’s mind went blank for a moment. He didn’t need them for anything. She should just be herself around him without trying to get closer. It was apparent it made him uncomfortable.

Maybe he would return.

Maybe he wouldn’t.

Did it matter? Marianne shook her head. No, she needed to push aside her feelings, as she had already decided and put her sights on returning home, back to her everyday, boring, expected life. Maybe she would keep the windows closed all the time from now and make sure there were screens over them to keep out the annoying buggy looking fairies.

How often had he crept into their house?

“Marianne.” She blinked, looking up to see Bog standing at the foot of the stairs, having just stepped off them. What had Sunny said? He weighed over 200 pounds, and he has massive feet, yet he didn’t make a sound when he walked down the stairs. Come to think about it--he walked in a way that tended to be silent no matter where he was.

“Hey, look,” Marianne grabbed the jar and held it up, “I found a jar of honey. Would you like to put some of it on you?”

Bog looked confused for a moment, cocking his head to one side, fixing her with an odd look. “Yes, honey promotes healing.” He nodded slowly, glancing around the living room. “It’s also good to eat.”

“I like cooking with it.” Marianne set the jar down, then turned her back to Bog, grimacing as she searched for something to say.

“Marianne.” Bog repeated her name, and something inside clenched tightly, dread rising through her gut.

“Forget I said anything.” Marianne shook her head, turning and flexing her fingers, needing to find something to distract herself, but what? “I’m going to bake bread!”

“Don’t we have bread?” Bog walked toward her, crouched, so he was at her level.

“You can never have too much bread,” retorted Marianne, opening the refrigerator door to retrieve a few ingredients. She gathered up an armful of random things and dumped them on the counter next to the fridge.

“Ketchup and mustard in bread? That sounds truly disgusting.” Bog examined what she put out, and Marianne groaned, realizing he wouldn’t take the hint and go away now.

“You made yourself clear, Bog. I’m going to leave you alone, and you can leave me alone.” Marianne huffed in annoyance that he was now following her as she went into the pantry.

“It’s not,” Bog made faces, struggling with speaking as he followed her from the pantry to the cabinet, then back again. “It’s not that I don’t find you attractive or intriguing… beautiful, stunning.”

She stopped, turning to eye Bog slowly as he glanced at his hands then her repeatedly. He took a deep breath, his face growing increasingly red with each passing moment. “This is me. This is the reality. This situation has thrown us together, and we shouldn’t trust any… feelings… we have.” Bog finally found something to say, but the look in his eyes didn’t match his words.

He was lying. Outright lying to her.

“I know you like me.” Marianne frowned, fixing him with a stern glare. “So, here’s what I want. We go on like nothing happened, right?”

“Okay.” Bog nodded with a vacant expression on his face, staring at her.

“But when this is over, you are going to promise me you will not just vanish and never come to my house again. I’ll give you all the medicines you need, just promise we can,” she grimaced, making a bizarre face at him, “I don’t know, be friends?”

“Humans grow old,” Bog said as though the words pained him. “They are in bodies that are always dying while a fairy body is always alive. It would not be fair to ye.”

“Shouldn’t I be in on this decision?” Marianne quirked an eyebrow at him, putting away the things she had placed on the counter. “Would it bother you, watching me grow old?’

Bog gaped, his face contorting with a sadness she couldn’t believe existed in the real world. “It would.”

“Would it bother you if we had something together? Whatever time we had together, even if it was just as friends?” Marianne stormed around the kitchen, glancing at him in passing several times, her face tight with anger.

“I’ve never thought about this.” And he began twining his fingers again. Marianne rushed in front of him, putting her hands over his to make him stop. “I don’t know.”

“You are the sweetest idiot I’ve ever met.” Marianne smiled, leaning upon her tiptoes so that she was in his face as he drew back, his eyes wide. “You wanted to kiss me.”

“I don’t think it’s a good-” he began arguing, and she hooked her hands over his shoulders, using her weight to drag him a few inches lower, lower enough that he found her mouth against his, those warm lips pressed to his lower lip, then she tilted her head up, and he leaned lower, sighing as everything within him broke free into nothingness.

It was clear Bog had no idea how to kiss her back, but once she began, he forgot about resisting and went with it. Streaks of warmth rippled through Marianne’s body as she gripped him tight, not about to let him go now that she had him. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was a fairy or simply because that tiny spark she felt drawing her to him finally connected with him, but the kiss was like it had always meant to be.

His hands tentatively slid over her body, one along her shoulders, the other around her waist, pulling her closer. That tingling heat became overwhelming, urging her own as she led, careful of where she touched. Bog was covered in various scars--most looked like they were caused by an animal, but a few by blades. She had the moment to explore, feeling his skin warm beneath her fingertips. 

Bog’s shoulders were so broad, she couldn’t reach around him, but she could get far enough to drag her fingers down his back, just below his broken wings. He was thin but muscular, and she could feel every muscle shift as he moved in response to her touch, groaning into the kiss, lost in it.

Down his back, she went as far as she could reach, and he shuddered against her, breathing quickly. He pulled back suddenly, his hands on her shoulders. “That… don’t do that.” Bog grimaced. “You shouldn’t do that. It’s not a good idea.” He didn’t sound convinced as he opened his eyes, giving her a pleading look. “It’s confusing, and I like it too much.” Bog muttered with a smile.

Marianne smiled at him, tracing a finger over her lower lip, feeling a little woozy from the blood rushing into her head, her heart racing. “Just so you know, I’ve never had a better kiss.”

“Heh, I find that hard to believe,” stated Bog, unable to keep his eyes on hers. “I, uhm, let’s not do that again.”

“Are you sure?” Marianne glanced around the room, grateful that Dawn hadn’t seen them. “We are alone.”

Bog sighed his forehead wrinkling, sending the leaves on his head into crinkling waves. He licked his lips, forcing his eyes to meet hers, and she could see the longing in them. 

And she stepped back.

“Promise me, Bog, you won’t leave and never come back to see me,” Marianne spoke calmly, her voice low and serious. She wanted his promise.

“I don’t need to promise,” grunted Bog, stiffly walking past her, heading to the stairs. “Nothing will keep me away. Ye may regret ye did that.” He paused, glaring at her over his shoulder. “Friends don’t kiss like that, Marianne.” Then he continued up the stairs, grumbling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. I can't think clearly right now. :D I'm going to get tested for Covid today. Husband's test is positive.


	16. Love Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog's injuries aren't healing like Marianne thinks they should

Crazy.

Crazy woman.

Crazy human woman.

Bog didn’t want to return to his room, not after what had transpired between him and Marianne, but if he didn’t get out of her presence, he might do something they would both regret later—or Dawn might catch them. Dawn, possibly seeing them, was more of the possibility of later regrets.

Marianne started something, and she had no idea what she was in for because that move was a bold statement of intent. You didn’t just go around randomly kissing people on the mouth like that. Bog settled back into his bed, grumbling at his pains and the fact he had to lay on his side. In truth, no matter how he laid, it was uncomfortable.

He went back to the welcome distraction of thinking about Marianne, closing his eyes and running through the kiss again. That warm, awkward kiss that made his head unusually fuzzy, as though the world melted away around him and there was only this woman.

Human woman.

Bog grimaced and sighed. His mother wouldn’t mind at all, but his people? They expected him to be with one of them--a Dragonfae or a Naiad. Not a human. Still, if that’s what they wanted, then why didn’t he already have a queen? None fit the role in his kingdom, and honestly, women were trouble. It wasn’t a good idea to trust them.

Not only that, but the current situation in his colony was not one that allowed him any time for romance or even being away. Fears returned, worry about how his mother was doing as well as those that depended on him in his colony. He had to leave as soon as possible and make sure they were in a safe place.

Over the years, Bog had stressed many plans to his entire colony--places to hide in case of danger, in case anything happened to the colony. They had multiple points, and someone would go to each one to make sure everyone ended up in the same place when the danger ended. Bog sighed. He had no right to entertain fantasies about love--however, since he was honestly stuck here, he could play with her for a little while.

By the time he was done, there was no way she would want anything to do with him. It would be for the better unless she actually did belong with him, then, well, he would have a lot of explaining to do. Bog closed his eyes with a sigh, grimacing.

Home.

He had to get home the moment he could travel, and he knew Dawn and Marianne were safe.

###

The flush didn’t leave Marianne’s face for some time. She kept thinking about how pleasant it was, how simply perfect and strange. The unusual warmth remained within her as she busied herself in the kitchen. A fairy? What did she have to lose? So far, human men were nothing but a letdown. 

Marianne put a coffeepot on the coffee maker and flipped the switch. They barely knew each other, and they had a few days of being together, at least. Maybe being all affectionate and allowing her feelings free reign was not a good idea. No. Despite the fact Bog was ‘special’, she should take a little more care.

She should be herself--that’s what she needed to do. Bog needed to see her at her worst, without restraint. Marianne grumbled, fighting that desire that always cropped up, that testing phase that began in many relationships, where you were overly polite, testing the other person out for the very same things you might hide. 

“I’m not that bad.” Marianne grimaced, whispering to herself. “I’m not. Am I?” There was some reason she had difficulty with boys, and she assumed it was because she opened her mouth too often and spoke her mind. She was too much for most men and not enough for others. There never seemed to be a middle ground.

She frightened kind, considerate men and, in all honestly, wanted nothing to do with the more abrasive men who found her attractive. No, those men wanted a woman to tame, not someone who would stand up to them, and honestly, there was no temptation to travel the path of creeping into some rough guy’s possibly kind heart.

Those beauty and the beast stories were lies that she would not fall for, ever. Kind people did not always hide behind a beastly exterior. If you had to continually dig for it, it likely wasn’t there, and you put yourself, and possibly, your family, in danger. She would not be fooled and end up in an abusive relationship.

The one time she ventured in that direction, she ended up putting a guy in the ER with a house key wedged beneath his clavicle. That moron tried to force her to spend the night, and when she resisted, he attacked her. The house key was the least of his worries. Marianne broke his nose and several ribs in the process. 

How she did it was still a mystery. She assumed it was a case of adrenalin powering her, and she paid the price. He pressed charges of abuse, and she ended up settling out of court to make him shut up and keep his lies out of the papers.

Well, in any case, she liked Bog. He brought up feelings in her that she had never felt before. There had been hints, but never what she felt with him. Marianne smiled, pouring a cup of coffee. She had picked out a bag of specialty grounds, just for her, and now it was just what she needed.

If there was something real between her and the strange, towering fairy, then acting like herself wouldn’t make him turn away. She might even push him a little. In any case, she should relax. Be herself. Marianne blew on her mug.

Show him who you are.

###

Dawn brought Bog a couple of large sandwiches filled with meat and cheese for lunch, along with water and a couple of pain killers. He slept most of the day, and nobody bothered him. Marianne kept away until dinner time. She knocked on the door, rousing him from a light sleep.

“Hey, Bog, would you like to come down for dinner, or do you want me to bring you a plate?” She spoke through the door, waiting.

With a groan, Bog pushed himself up, running a hand through his hair. He glanced down at his chest and scowled. It burned with a warmth that was not natural. For a moment, he considered staying in the room, but he needed the wound treated, and his stomach growled fiercely.

“I’ll come down.” Bog rose and opened the door. Marianne smiled, then her she stared at his chest.

“Oh, we should take care of that as soon as we can.” She winced, motioning to his chest. “It’s redder than it was. It might be infected.”

“We can eat first,” muttered Bog. “I’m hungry, and a little more time won’t hurt it any more than it is.”

“Okay.” Marianne sighed, turning to walk down the hall to the stairs. “We can try honey.”

“It might do the trick.” Bog nodded, sliding a nail over the edge of one of the cuts on his chest. The skin did not look right at all now that he could see it in the light. In fact, it looked worse than any injury he had ever received in his life. The bruising covered his entire chest, and while it had changed colors, red lines were arcing out of the closed wounds.

###

Chicken pot pie.

Bog savored the massive bowl of comfortingly warm and savory chicken chunks, vegetables, creamy gravy, topped with a thick biscuit layer. Chicken wasn’t a food he often had. In fact, most of their food was not fresh game like he would have preferred. They raided bird feeders at night, fought raccoons and foxes for territory. Then there were the rats and birds of prey, domestic dogs and cats. Snakes, bats, and tarantulas rounded out the dangers in his small territory. Snakes and tarantulas were at least edible.

And he felt guilty as he ate in silence. Who knew what his people were dining on tonight. Hopefully, whatever it was, it was filling. The notion came to him… his home sucked. It was no place for a colony of fairies—a suburb in the middle of a city.

Where he was right now, this cabin and the area around it was perfect for fairies. The crows told him there were no colonies nearby, none for miles. He looked up at Dawn and Marianne, an idea beginning to form. 

“This is good.” Bog began scraping at the gravy at the bottom of the bowl. Thank ye, Marianne, for cooking this. Ye cook as good as my mother.”

“Thank you.” Marianne smiled, finishing off a few pieces of biscuit-crust.

“What’s your home like?” Dawn grinned at Bog, sliding her spoon around in her bowl, looking distracted. “Where do you live?”

“I can’t tell ye that,” Bog set his spoon down in the bowl, reaching for the glass of water next to his plate.

“You don’t trust me?” Dawn fixed him with her massive doe eyes, and Bog sighed at her.

“Dawn, knowing might put ye in danger,” he explained. “It’s not a matter of trust--it’s a matter of keeping ye and Marianne safe. The less ye know, the better for both of ye.”

Marianne got up and took her bowl to the sink to wash it out, and Bog joined her. After the heavy, warm meal, sleep threatened to retake him. He was drowsy and a little too warm but didn’t want to tell Marianne. She was concerned enough.

“Why don’t you sit at the table, Bog. I’m going to clean those gashes again, and then we’ll apply bandages with honey on them and see if it helps.” Marianne motioned to the table, and Bog managed to return to his chair, turning it sideways. He rested one arm on the table, staring at the far wall.

Dawn finished her food, put her bowl away, and then carried the honey jar to the table. Marianne brought over a sponge and a bowl of water. Bog shifted his attention to her, his eyelids heavy. He smiled, leaning back so she could reach his chest.

Marianne began lightly dabbing the puffy gashes, frowning as Bog flinched and grimaced. “These aren’t healing.” She glanced at him, and he nodded.

“The honey may do the trick.” 

“If it doesn’t?” Marianne’s frown deepened as she continued dabbing and cleaning the wound. “If you turn into a human, can we take you to a hospital?”

“How would ye get me there.” Bog chuckled, then winced and whimpered.

“Sorry.” Marianne grimaced, continually glancing at him. “I don’t like how this looks.”

“It is what it is.” Bog sighed, tilting his head back. “I just need to sleep.”

“Let’s try the antibiotic again.” Dawn held up the bottle, standing behind Marianne.

“No, let’s just do the honey.” Marianne shook her head, reaching for the gauze Dawn had just laid out with a smear of honey on it. “Help me with the adhesive, Dawn. I’ll hold the gauze in place, then wrap the bandages over them.”

Bog sighed the moment the gauze pressed to his chest. The girls worked quickly to set it into place, then helped him to the couch. Then they ran upstairs to grab sheets and blankets to make a more comfortable spot for him on the floor.

“You know what, I think I’ll stay out here with you tonight.” Marianne piled blankets onto the floor, arranging them with Bog’s stature in mind.

“It’s more comfortable for me to sleep on my side, curled up,” Bog muttered, watching them. His eyes were heavy, but he managed to keep them open enough.

“Me too!” Dawn chirped cheerfully, helping her sister arrange the bed in a different way.

“So, you sleep in a nest?” Marianne attempted conversation, and Bog smirked.

“I’m not a bird, no, just a nice oblong bed. Ye know, wings.” He motioned to his back. “We sleep on our sides or stomach.”

“Okay, I get it.” Marianne wrapped a sheet over the rounded blanket pad. “It’s a little early for bed, but I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep. You look awful.”

“Thanks. I feel awful.” Bog smirked, shifting off the bed to make himself more comfortable on the floor pallet. He yawned again, curling forward and sighing at how natural that position was.

Marianne sat next to him, cross-legged by his shoulders. She reached out and began stroking her hand over his forehead, up over the crinkly leaf scaling. He closed his eyes and smiled, remembering something about needing to be himself around her. Only, this wasn’t what he had in mind hours earlier.

He was just too tired, and her tiny fingers felt so good. Within moments, the weariness overtook him, and he fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of Marianne’s small fingers moving comfortingly over his head and those soft, warm lips pressed to his. He was sure he heard her shift, and her presence draw closer, planting a kiss on his forehead, a tiny gift of affection.

He drifted off into welcome sleep and dreamed pleasant dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm almost over my Covid infection. :D Woooooo.... I feel almost normal! Enjoy the chapter.


	17. Feverish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog's injuries are nasty and deep, infected and worrying.

It was the odor that bothered Marianne and told her something was wrong before even seeing how puffy Bog’s chest was. Infection. She could smell the sick, and when she went to clean the wounds, they were full of puss, and his skin was hotter than before. His face held a red tinge, flushed from fever, and his eyes seemed glassy and unfocused.

Considering what Bog was and knowing he had a superior sense of smell and probably knew more about proper wound care than she did, she knew he was aware of it. Yet he chose to say nothing. Marianne cleaned the wounds and applied the bandage, gave him a couple of painkillers, one of which was a nighttime med to encourage his sleep, then sat next to him on the pallet to comfort him.

His condition turned her thoughts away from treating him like a normal person she had just met. He was in pain, saying nothing about it, and it hit every cord in her to be as nice as possible. It wasn’t to make him think well of her. It was because she genuinely cared, and you treated people who weren’t feeling well with a little more care than one who was fine. 

Marianne’s compassionate side took over, and when he fell asleep, she discreetly checked his temperature using a small thermometer that she found in the first aid kit. His temperature was well over a hundred, beyond the minimal number indicating a fever. It hit 102, then began going down, no doubt in response to the pain reliever.

There was no sweat, just the constant radiating heat coming off his body, fluctuating as he shifted about in discomfort in his sleep. He would probably be even more miserable if he were awake.

“Is he okay?” Dawn whispered, kneeling next to her sister, reaching out to touch his forehead. “He’s really hot.”

“The wounds on his chest are infected. The others seem fine.” Marianne frowned, sitting next to him. “I don’t know if he’s okay.”

“He’s a fairy. Shouldn’t he be magical and you know, super healery?” Dawn’s forehead wrinkled with uncharacteristic lines, and her nose scrunched up. “What are we going to do?”

“We can’t do anything.” Marianne grimaced, tilting her head to look at Bog. His breathing was short, showing his discomfort, even though he wasn’t awake. “But I think we should get some towels and soak them in the sink, then lay them on him to bring his temperature down. It was 104 last I checked. It bounces up and down.”

“You stay here. I’ll do it.” Dawn got back to her feet, rushing to the kitchen. “You know what mom always said--the best medicine was someone staying with you when you don’t feel well.”

“Yeah.” Marianne frowned at Bog, lifting one of his hands and gripping in between hers. “I know you can’t hear me, Bog, but I’m sure you’ll be fine because if you’re not, I may need to put the sim card back in my phone and make a phone call for an ambulance. The last thing we want is for anyone seeing you like this, but it’s better than dying from an infection.”

The sound of water running in the kitchen filled the room, and Marianne frowned, gripping Bog’s hand. This was going to be a long night. Perhaps Sunny would show up in the morning. It had been a few days since he dropped them off. Sunny had said before the week was out, he would return. They only had enough food for a week, and he knew that.

Unless, of course, Sunny had run into trouble. If that was the case, they could be out here for a long time. “It’ll be okay.” Marianne smiled at Bog. “At least we’re not alone.”

###

Bog’s dreams turned drastically as the night came, filled with feverish nightmares flitting around the periphery of his vision. He was at home, and the crying never ceased. His children depended on him, and where was he? Hiding out in a forest in the middle of nowhere.

He knew he was ill but depended on his body to heal itself. This wouldn’t take him out. It was an infection, but he could fight it, even if the smell told him it could take a quick turn in the worst direction. Fairies had robust immune systems, and he was not weak. The wounds just needed to be cleaned, and perhaps the honey would do the job.

Several hours later, the pain struck him along with the fever. Everything hurt, and the heat was unbearable. He groaned in his sleep, reaching consciousness a few times. Cooling dampness covered his sides and wrapped around his head. Someone, he was too out of it to remember who kept removing and applying the cooling compresses. 

They spoke to him, made him sit a few times, and drink water. He resisted and growled at them, wanting them to leave him alone, but they persisted and yelled at him a few times. Then they made him take more medicine, and he slept again after more protesting. The heat came and went, which was amazingly miserable.

The process repeated itself hours later, and he was once again given something for the pain, which he was a little more lucid about when he took it. Marianne and Dawn tried to keep him cool by wetting towels with cold water and replacing them frequently as his body warmed them. Marianne said something about his temperature hitting 106 and asked him what his normal temperature was. 99. That was an average Dragonfae temperature. They ran a little hotter than other fairies and humans.

Marianne asked him more questions, but he wasn’t able to understand any of them. They might as well have been in a foreign language. Then he was down again, asleep, and at some point, he momentarily woke to his body, breaking into a sweat. The girls had been awake for most of the night, tending to him, and Dawn had crashed out on the couch. Marianne sat near him, just watching him, holding a comforting hand on his arm. Her eyes were a little swollen with dark circles beneath them, and he felt awful.

He didn’t have much time to think about it as sleep overtook him again. After the long night, his body needed the rest, and when he woke again, he heard birds singing outside and saw the light peeking around the windows. He blinked to see Marianne asleep in front of him, curled up on her side, a hand still on his arm.

She looked awful, and he laid there for a moment, the thoughts passing through his mind that these two humans had been up, taking care of him the entire night. He smiled, sitting up and feeling remarkably better. That didn’t make sense. He should be weakened from the overnight fever. 

Curious, Bog reached down and tugged at the bandage over his chest. It would need to come off to clean the wounds anyway, and he felt strange. The bandage came loose, and he pulled it off to reveal that the top part of the gashes could not be seen. There was a mixture of steri strips and stitches, but only a line beneath them.

“What?” Bog pulled the bandage off the rest of the way, and despite the still sticky honey, it appeared they had closed and healed—entirely. There was a scar, but it looked like it had healed weeks ago. Bog made a face, then grabbed a still-damp towel to wipe over the wounds and make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

A moment later, he kept wiping, confused by what he was seeing. The scars were fully healed, and he felt fine. That wasn’t right. Then he stared at Marianne, who had kept her hand on him most of the night, he was sure of it, and he wondered. There were some in his world with the power to heal and those abilities extended to humans.

She might have done it without knowing, just by keeping her hand on him the entire night. That was the only explanation he could come up with that made logical sense. Generally, fairies did heal faster than humans, and Dragonfae healed much faster than both, but this was not normal. He ran his hand over his chest, then began nipping the stitches to pull them out, then peeled off the steri strips, making short work of them until they were all gone.

Then he rose and turned to see Dawn still snuggled up on the couch, cradling a pillow in her arms. They should be allowed to sleep longer, and perhaps he could make something for them for breakfast. He did know how to make a few things, even though he wasn’t particularly good at it.

For a moment, he stood, and a thought occurred to him. He twitched his wings. Pain shot through his back. Well, it was worth it to try. Bog sighed, going for the alternate way to get rid of that pain, shifting into his human form as he walked around the couch and went to the kitchen. He began pulling bowls out of the cabinets, retrieved a carton of eggs and milk, then a loaf of bread from the table.

Bog poured a glass of milk, suddenly famished, unable to resist one of his favorite things about the human world. One glass turned into two as he retrieved a pan and tossed butter into it. Bog scrambled half a dozen eggs, added a little salt and pepper, then began slipping sliced bread into it and throwing them into the pan to fry.

Cooking was not one of his skills, and he ended up flipping the pieces too fast so that they were still a little gooey in the middle. He worked the spatula, lifting the corners and scowling as they cooked too slow. The fire went up, and the next pieces cooked too fast, burning on one side.

“Ugh, what are you doing?” Marianne stood behind him as he leaned over the pan, dredging up a piece that was stuck to the pan. “You’re going to burn everything.”

“I’ve got it. Ye go sit down.” Bog turned and frowned at her, reaching out to push her away.

“No, we can’t spare any food. Let go of the pan, and I’ll finish it. You’re not putting enough butter in it.” Marianne leaned against his hand, grabbing for the pan with one hand while shouldering herself in front of him so that he ended up pressed against her back. “Spatula.”

Bog lifted the spatula over her head, scowling, then smirking a she turned and gave him a dirty look. There was no way she could grab it from his hand. Even in his human form, he towered over her. Still, she growled and jumped for it, trying not to grab him. He staggered back with a laugh as she went for him.

“You give that to me right now, you ungrateful fairy!” Marianne hissed, stopping to plant her hands on her hips and fix him with another glare.

“Ye just told me what to do. Put more butter in the pan. I’m going to do it.” Bog danced around her as she growled and grabbed at the side of his shirt. He nabbed the stick of butter with one hand, his fingers closing on the wax wrapper. The entire stick of butter rolled free, landing in the pan with a sizzle.

“Now, you’re wasting butter!” Marianne huffed at him, pretending like she was walking to the stove. At the last moment, she turned and grabbed for the spatula, but Bog was too fast. 

“Nu-uh!” He snickered mockingly, jerking it out of her reach.

“Bog!” Marianne screeched, lunging toward him. In her weariness, she tripped and fell against him, then shrieked in alarm. “I’m so sorry!”

“Eh, don’t be.” Bog grinned as she recoiled and covered her mouth with her hands, clearly afraid she had hurt him. He reached down with his free hand and lifted his shirt up to show the healed over scar. “I’m healed up. That’s why I changed.”

Without thinking, Marianne stepped forward like she was in a trance, pressing both hands to his chest, running her fingers over the new scars in awe. They were white but completely healed.

“How is that possible?” she gasped, fixated on his chest. Her warm hands pressed over the scar lines repeatedly. “It doesn’t make sense. If you could heal this fast, wouldn’t you have done it right after the bear attacked you?”

“I didn’t do this.” Bog stood there, smiling, not wanting to move. If he did, she would stop touching him, and it was pleasant.

Marianne slowly lifted her eyes to meet his, their golden brown depths shining brightly. “Who then?”

“I better get to cooking before the butter burns.” Bog chuckled, tossing the spatula into the air. He yelped as Marianne suddenly growled and pinched his stomach. Before he could recover, she caught the spatula and slid between him and the stove. She reached for the piece of toast in the egg mixture, and it broke into soggy pieces in her fingers. She slid the spatula under it and tossed the goopy mess into the pan, then glared at Bog as he leaned on the counter to watch her, a smug smile on his face.

“You go away.” Marianne scowled, jabbing at him with the spatula.

Bog smiled, remaining where he was. He said nothing as she glowered and grumped, tending to breakfast as he watched her from a somewhat safe distance next to the counter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decisions, decisions. Thankfully... SOMEONE HEALED Bog inadvertently. :D :D


	18. The Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog makes himself an adorable pest and Dawn sees the change in how they interact.

Bog smiled, and it was the most adorable thing Marianne had ever seen, crooked, with his lip turned up on one side, only his upper teeth showing. It was a shy smile, despite his smug posture as he leaned on one arm, resting his pointed chin in the palm of his hand. Those beautiful, gleaming blue eyes looked perfectly normal now, and they fixed on her.

Marianne forced a scowl, glancing at him as she nervously slid the spatula beneath the french toast, flipping it over. She couldn’t stop the heated flush rising over her cheeks and face. He was watching, and he began doing things, distracting things.

He tapped his long fingers on the counter, then began running his hands through his hair. It didn’t seem intentional, more like Bog liked the feeling of having hair. He started making faces, then noticed she was paying attention to him and made several toward her.

She didn’t want to laugh.

Marianne’s face contorted as she fought the urge. This only egged him on, and he tucked both of his hands beneath his chin and gave her the most innocent smile he could manage, and on his face, she couldn’t take it.

“Stop that!’ Marianne groaned, plating several French Toast slices, then soaking more pieces and putting them in the pan. 

“You have a beautiful smile.” The compliment made her blush, and she bit her lower lip to avoid rewarding him. 

“Don’t,” Marianne grimaced, “Don’t say things just to make me smile.”

“I mean it.” And he gave her his genuine smile, his entire face lighting up and wrinkling all the way to his eyes. “Ye are beautiful, Marianne.”

Marianne groaned, tilting her head back in frustration. “My hair is a mess. I know my face is puffy, and I’m exhausted! I am not beautiful by any definition.” She turned off the fire and scooped the pieces of toast in the pan onto the plate with the others. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but stop it.”

Bog nodded, the smile falling off his face for a moment. Marianne sat at the table, taking a small plate and plopping a couple of slices of toast on it. Then she drowned them in syrup and looked up to see Bog sit across from her, smiling again.

“I made those.” He grinned, motioning to the toast on her plate. She pursed her lips at him and glowered, her fork held over the plate. “Ye done gone and ruined them, putting that syrup on them.”

“It’s French Toast,” grumbled Marianne, cutting off a piece with her fork and stuffing it into her mouth. “It’s supposed to swim in syrup.”

“A little butter, salt, and pepper are all ye need.”

“Heathen,” snorted Marianne, suddenly overcome with hunger and the need to eat the delicious food on her plate. It was a simple thing to make, but Bog still did it with them in mind. He didn’t have to say it, she knew he did, and she kept her head down to hide her smile as he picked off a piece of toast and began eating it.

###

Dawn smiled, remaining on the couch where she could listen to the entire conversation. She snuggled up to her pillow and yawned, attempting to be quiet. When her sister and Bog began talking back and forth, she could hear the tenseness in their voices and noticed how they moved toward each other, never really away. And if either one of them did take a step away, the next step was toward them, in this strange dance.

They argued, fussed, grumbled, then got close, and she saw--Dawn saw--how they looked at each other. She recognized the look on her sister’s face immediately, how concerned she was for Bog when he was human-appearing, a little shocked when he changed, but then it was back again. Something about him clicked with Marianne.

Even when he was a somewhat inhuman fairy, Marianne still looked at him as though embarrassed to be caught doing it. Her sister was attracted to Bog and, for a while, didn’t appear to realize that he looked at her in the same way. 

Something broke between them, and Dawn saw it immediately, even though she said nothing. They were in a dangerous place, and Bog turned out to be every bit a ‘knight in shining armor’ Dawn felt he was. Then again, Dawn had a habit of seeing the best in people, sometimes lying to herself about what she perceived. That happened with Roland, and it was because Dawn was just too nice to tell her sister what she thought of him. She had hinted, then let it lie because Marianne would do what Marianne wanted, regardless of her opinion.

So now, she kept quiet, listening to them and plotting. Since this whole thing began, she started writing a new story about a fairy king and a human woman, who she had sitting right in front of her. That spark, she saw it and eagerly hoped things would go good for her sister, even though she wasn’t sure what to think of the possibility of having a fairy for a brother-in-law. So far, he wasn’t particularly magical, but he was kind to her, and the fact he would lay down his life for them, even after only knowing them for a few days, bought him all the goodwill in the world.

###

Bog stepped out the backdoor with a swagger in his step. He helped Marianne clean up--actually, he did it all and fought with her half the time as she tried to help him and show him how to do things. Washing dishes didn’t take a genius, even if he hadn’t done it since he was a much younger child.

Dawn was up when he left the house, enjoying the breakfast they made. Bog smiled, feeling better than he had in years like he had a momentary break from all the stress he was under, even though he didn’t. He just felt good. Being around Marianne lifted his mood, even when she was cranky and lack of sleep never did anyone good. She gave a part of herself to him, and it was conscious because you couldn’t heal someone if you didn’t feel for them. You had to have that compassion to give of yourself to heal, and she had.

The sun was high in the sky, marking the day closer to noon than morning. Bog strolled down the steps, his staff in hand, and began walking. Within a few minutes, the flock of crows he had befriended filled the trees around him, talking to him excitedly. They had gone on a more thorough search of the area, per Bog’s request and the promise of more trail mix, and they brought back news.

“Okay, let’s hear it.” Bog stopped walking as one crow landed on his shoulder, and another landed on his arm as he held it in front of himself. “What is in this area?”

Both crows began cawing, and Bog closed his eyes, accepting the message in a burst of quick images. They showed him the good things about this forest, how it was massive and protected. The bears had moved out of the area, a good distance from the house. The crows even showed him what became of the bear carcass, that it had been dragged further into the forest and picked clean by other bears and scavengers.

And then, there was an image, deep in the woods, of bright winged fairies. The crows were not welcome around the village as hawks flew at them with fairy mounts on them. So there were fairies in the forest after all. Bog grinned. They appeared to be much further away, but that was good news, not bad. He had been on terms with half a dozen small fairy colonies around his home. That was the only way you could survive in the city, to be on good terms with your neighbors. Some of those colonies were a single family with as few as a dozen members.

They lived wherever they could, in human houses, falling down sheds, ancient trees, the local parks—anywhere humans would have a problem getting near them. And that was what caused most of those colonies to crumble five years prior. Bog sighed, walking among the trees again, listening to the crows talk to him, sending him more images.

Someplace like this was a good place, but it wasn’t his. It belonged to that fairy hunter, Sunny, and he wasn’t sure he could trust him, not until this ended. As soon as Sunny returned, Bog would have to leave without him.

“Thank ye, I’ll bring ye something to eat soon.” Bog dropped his arm, and the crow flew into a nearby tree. The one on his shoulder remained, chattering to him as he walked. 

Bog completed two circles around the cabin, examining the area in detail. The bears, even the big brown bear, were clearly leaving him to this territory. He had claimed it successfully, simply by holding his ground and shoving the other predators out of the area. If he had been in a better position and had his staff from the start, that battle would have been much shorter. 

He had lived his entire life inside the small suburb that Marianne and Dawn called home. Bog had been born there, growing up on stories of when they lived in the wilds. Then the human houses sprung up around them, and his people sought a temporary refuge, then they were trapped there, surrounded by houses and beyond the houses, there was so much concrete and so many towering buildings, they didn’t dare travel.

The world changed around them, and as they had for generations, fairies lagged behind in adapting to them. It was ironic--he came from Dragonfae who adapted to their living situations, yet humans continually changing things was a problem. They didn’t want to leave, even though they should have, and now, the decision weighed heavily on Bog.

His people could not remain where they were. They needed to move to a remote area like this one, perhaps this one, if Sunny turned out to be trustworthy. There was ample water for the Naiads--pools and streams crisscrossed the area, and the banks showed there would be little flooding.

Several ancient trees and giant rocks emerged among them that would serve as a place that would house every member of his colony with room to grow. More importantly, there was food everywhere, plenty to sustain them. Nut trees, wild fruit, berries, plants, fish, rabbits, and squirrels filled the woods. However, it was the middle of summer, and any moves needed to be made immediately.

Bog began forming his plan while also thinking about Marianne. He spotted a clearing with a massive old tree in the middle that looked like just the spot to bring her and treat her to a little attention. She was exhausted and had taken care of him all night. He could show her a little affection, as awkward as it felt to even think about it.

What would she like? Would she even let him do what he had in mind since it was an excuse to touch her? Was it sincere that he wanted to touch her so much and comfort her? Was it coming from his desires or because he really wanted to help her. Bog’s thoughts and emotions were confusing because these feelings were strange, and he didn’t want to hurt Marianne. He also didn’t want to end up injuring himself in the process of wading through his emotions.

Take things slow? When he possibly had so little time? Bog grumbled, heading back to the house. They had plenty of time, and now he had a plan, one which would require humans to pull it off. It didn’t matter if it was here or somewhere else, the colony needed to move, and he needed help.

There was nothing else to do but wait for Sunny to return. Bog smiled nervously. Nothing else to do, but perhaps win a heart for himself, something he had dreamed about when he was younger but put aside over the recent years. There was no time for love with the stresses his family and colony endured in their current home, but there might be once they moved.

Maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving week. You know what, I am so thankful for all that A03 has done for me along with each of you reading this. Thank you.


	19. Kissing Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne is exhausted after the long night fearing for Bog's life. Now that Bog's recovered, because fairies recover fast, he has a few things in mind to help Marianne relax and get to spend time with her as well.

Marianne snuggled into the comfort of the well broken into couch. It was squishy in all the right places. She left Bog to do whatever in the kitchen and heard him talking to Dawn. What he was talking about was a mystery as her mind clouded over with the desire to get actual sleep. She had worried so much over Bog, terrified that his fever would worsen, and she would have to put the sim card in her phone and risk his life to save it.

The sounds of Dawn and Bog walking around the house, up and down the stairs, then leaving and entering the house punctuated Marianne’s sleep. She grumbled, pulling a cushion over her head, trying to block it out. Just a few hours of sleep, that’s all she wanted. Why couldn’t they be quiet and let her sleep?

“Marianne.” She heard his voice in her dreams. Bog was speaking to her, “Hey, Marianne?” He pulled the pillow away, and she groaned, barely able to open her eyes to look at him. 

Bog knelt in front of her, his arms crossed in front of him, his narrow chin resting on them. “Marianne.”

“That is my name,” moaned Marianne. “Look, Bog, I’m glad you’re better, but I’m tired, and I want to sleep out here for a few hours. Go away.” He smiled, reaching over her to touch her forehead, moving her mussed up hair back. She smiled despite herself. Smiling was the last thing she wanted, but for some reason, the moment those large hands with their long slender fingers touched her, she had no choice.

“I have an idea that will make ye feel better and more refreshed,” whispered Bog, his eyes focused on hers. Those gorgeous, almost glowing blue eyes. 

“Like what?” muttered Marianne, not sure if she wanted to know. “Some weird fairy thing where I pop out a little fat fairy baby in nine months. No, thank you.”

The look that crossed Bog’s face was so mortified--she felt awful for what she said and grimaced. “I am exhausted, Bog. I didn’t mean that.”

“Well, it’s six months for fairies, and uh, no, not what I had in mind.” Bog leaned back, staring at his hands, his lips pressed tight together. “Nothing like that, I swear.”

“I’m going up to my room.” Marianne sighed, pushing herself up wearily.

“Can ye trust me to do something nice for ye?” Bog asked, tilting his head at her. “I promise ye will like it. I’ll even carry ye, and if ye don’t like it, I’ll bring ye back and take ye to the room, and I won’t bother ye for the rest of the day.”

“Promise?” Marianne scowled, fixing him with a stern glare.

“Marianne, I would never harm ye, and I would never do anything ye didn’t agree to.” Bog met her eyes again, speaking earnestly. 

Marianne fought a smile as she nodded. “Okay.”

“Just so ye know, Marianne, we’re not that different, humans and fae.” Bog leaned forward, sliding his strong arms beneath her.

“That’s what scares me.” Marianne sighed, shifting to make it easier for him to carry her. She was still nervous about trusting him, but he seemed genuinely honest. Well, if he wasn’t, she would be ready for him. Until then, his embrace was warm and comforting.

Bog carried her effortlessly through the house, taking her out the back door and down the steps. Dawn must have been waiting because the door closed behind them. What had the pair of them been doing while she was sleeping?

“It’s not far,” Bog said, carrying her across the cleared yard and into the trees. Marianne rested her head against his chest, realizing she had allowed a man to do this, to carry her. If she had been fully awake, she would not have allowed this to happen, but as it was, there was something pleasant about being in his arms. He smelled amazing, and his long, muscular arms felt good around her.

She spotted his crows, fluttering in the limbs overhead, cawing at him softly. Bog tilted his head, uttering a word she didn’t understand, and they took off in a flurry of feathers. A moment later, they stepped over a little rise, and Marianne gasped at what she saw.

There was a large round swing suspended beneath a massive oak tree. It had a large creamy yellow cushion set into it with colorful pillows on top. There were baskets on the side, big enough to hold a pitcher of what appeared to be ice-cold lemonade and a pair of glasses. Off-white sheer curtains draped around it, and it looked incredibly inviting.

“I found the frame when I was walking through the forest. Dawn helped me find the cushions for it in the house.” Bog didn’t break his stride. “Ye need fresh air, not a stuffy house. Sunshine will do ye good, and I will watch out for ye.”

“You did this for me?” Marianne was exhausted, but the gesture was not lost on her. It was incredibly sweet, probably the most endearing thing a guy had ever done for her.

“Yeah, me and Dawn did it. She deserves some thanks too. She’s going to make a late lunch for us too, so ye need to relax.” Bog laid Marianne on the swing, and she scooted aside to let him onto it. He poured a glass of lemonade and handed it to her before sitting on the swing next to her. 

Marianne smiled, sipping the perfectly sweet lemonade. It had just the right mix of sweet and tart, reminding her of when she was a kid, sharing lemonade with her sister at their grandmother’s home. Bog made himself comfortable pouring himself a glass as well.

She was still tired, but for the moment, she sat next to Bog, drinking her lemonade and enjoying the gentle sway of the little round bed. Birds sang in the trees as the sounds of the forest rose around her, a soft rustling of leaves adding to the natural music. It made her feel sleepier, and she set her glass into the little basket, leaning against Bog.

He brought his arm up against hers, tracing his fingers lightly from her wrist to elbow. A delightful tingling sensation followed his fingertips, making her shiver.

“What are you doing?” Marianne stifled a giggle, tilting her head to look him in the eyes.

“I know a few tricks,” replied Bog, stroking his fingers over her skin again. “Yes, they’re fairy tricks, but not all of us can do it.”

Marianne made a face at him, unsure if she wanted to ask. “It feels nice.”

“It’s supposed to be relaxing, but I’ve never done it to anyone before.” Bog gave her a lopsided smile, his crooked teeth barely showing. “Lay down and go to sleep. Like I said, I’ll keep watch.”

Marianne frowned at him, considering it. Whatever. She was too tired and comfortable to think, and she sighed, laying down across his legs as he slid a pillow beneath her head. Once again, he stroked her arm, this time starting from her shoulder, going down, and it felt so amazing she smiled and sighed.

Then his hand was on her back as he leaned back, making himself comfortable, shifting a little. The tingling, electric feel rolled through her muscles, making her shiver as his fingers trailed gently over her shirt.

Marianne’s eyes popped up, and she jerked upright. If it felt that great over her shirt, she wanted to feel it without any fabric in between, and she was wearing a sports bra beneath it. Bog withdrew, his arms in the air as she pulled off her shirt and tossed it aside.

“Only my back.” She turned and gave him a long stare. He nodded, his cheeks flushed pink all the way to his ears. Marianne couldn’t help but feel that blush was telling as she lay back down, her back to him. Then she closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle caress as he ran one hand down her back, next to her spine, causing the most enjoyable sensation she had ever felt to ripple through her body.

“It’s a light electric impulse.” Bog’s other hand went into her hair as he began playing with it. The sensations were so comfortable and relaxing, it only took a few minutes for Marianne to fall asleep, a smile on her face and sighing as he continued running his hand down her back and sides. “Makes ye relax.”

Bog smiled, the warm, supple skin beneath his fingertips so inviting. Marianne was understandably irritated, and for the first time in his life, he had a drive to make someone happy who didn’t need anything from him. She pushed him away, and he didn’t go. It was nice to be able to choose to fight through her outward hostility and gain her trust.

Like him, it was apparent she did not trust easily. Marianne probably still didn’t trust him, but he would do his best, even though he didn’t trust her fully either, but that was more because she was a human. A pretty human who lived in the human world. She might not enjoy his life, and thinking about it made him sad.

Everything inside rose, shouting at him that he should go for it, pushing his doubts away. He gave his life for his colony, and he deserved something for himself. If there was even a tiny shred of possibility, he needed to grab on and here, in his arms, was a woman who liked him. Yes, she was very cranky, surly, and annoying, but she could also be kind, sweet, and caring. Since he could be the same way—he understood.

Bog leaned back, enjoying that incredible sensation of someone trusting you enough to sleep against you. Even though he wasn’t tired, he smiled and gazed up at the sky through the leaf laden tree limbs, and he considered again. A place like this would be perfect for his colony, and he was the king. They would follow him anywhere.

They were the most beautiful dreams she had experienced in years. First, there was that incredible tingling sensation over her body, then she fell fully asleep, dreaming several times about random things, then once about the wonderful man holding her.

Man.

Just her luck, the man holding her was, once again, not a man. He was a fairy. Marianne grimaced, reminding herself of another fact. It didn’t matter what he looked like or was, because first of all, she liked him. Second, if they could easily mix into the human population, there wasn’t a real difference between them.

One of his long arms draped over her side, the other resting on the cushion just above her head. Judging by how limp his limbs were, he wasn’t awake, and she could hear his slow, steady breathing as well as feel his body moving behind her.

Bog.

Marianne smiled, getting an excellent idea as she shifted as slowly as she could, not wanting to wake him. She went with the natural sway of the basket, sliding her body further beneath his arm, snuggling up to his side. Bog’s head was back, tilted the side, resting against the cushion. 

“Bog?” Marianne whispered. His eyelashes fluttered, and she smiled at the reaction, leaning forward and letting his arm fall against her hip. She pressed her lips to his stubbly cheek, and he smiled. Then she kissed the side of his mouth and licked his lip. At that, he turned his head, eyes slightly open as he accepted her attention, and began kissing back.

“Feeling better, I see,” Bog commented, sliding both hands up her back, sending a gentle wave of electricity through her. She shivered and stopped-- eyes squeezed shut as the pleasurable touch stopped. “Too much?”

“Yeah, not saying that it doesn’t feel amazing just,” she smiled at him, “stick to kissing?”

“Okay. Teach me how to kiss better.” Bog grinned as he made the request. “So I don’t do anything weird or wrong.”

“Sure.” Marianne leaned back, her arms sliding to his shoulders. She stuck out her tongue. “Just don’t lick me like a dog, and we’ll be fine!” 

Bog blinked and gave her a confused look, tilting his head to one side. “I can’t lick yer neck? Shoulders? Nothing?” His face contorted into a mischievous smirk. “Because I want to.”

Heat seared through Marianne, staring into his eyes. Her mouth was suddenly dry, and she swallowed, her voice coming out in a startled whisper, “Just kissing.”

“Whatever ye want, I will do.” Bog’s face shifted back to a pleasant smile, his hands rising up her back again, this time without any added effect. She leaned forward again as his fingers wound in her hair, drawing her to him. “Whatever ye want out of me, Marianne, I will give ye,” he said between kisses. “I like ye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Bog... is the most forward Bog I've written. :D None of the hangups of the others, because his problems with love are more of an it's a distraction and I'm too busy being king to waste time on it. Now that he has nothing but time.   
> Enjoy! Let me know you like it. I like feedback and it's encouraging to know I'm improving.


	20. Fairy Circle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn is happy about what's going on with her sister and Bog. She doesn't care at all that he's some weird fairy. Leaving them alone, she comes upon a crow...

Dawn giggled, then slapped her hands over her mouth to stifle the sound. She had promised to look before saying anything after a long conversation with Bog. He told her he wanted to do something special for Marianne. Then he asked questions, and Dawn answered them gleefully as they walked outside to the little hanging swing frame in the trees. 

Bog swore to Dawn that he wouldn’t purposely do anything to hurt Marianne, confiding in her that he liked her, and then his face had turned red as he spoke, “I know it may seem odd, but ye see, where I come from, there isn’t anyone for me. There has never been, and I suspect there never will be. I am a king, and sadly, most of my people do whatever I order them to do, and I don’t want that… in a girlfriend.”

The look in his eyes told her he was only using the world’ girlfriend’ to avoid the seriousness of his statement. He clearly meant wife, and it tickled Dawn that he confided in her. This fairy who had known Marianne for under a week was simple and straightforward. He liked Marianne, and he wanted to get to know her, so they talked.

“Don’t push Marianne,” Dawn said as they walked through the forest. “She does things at her own pace.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Bog gave her an uneasy smile. “I don’t know how this would work.”

“Maybe you figure that out when you and Marianne think it can work?” Dawn smiled at him. “Together?”

“Of course, together.” Bog nodded vigorously. “Always together.”

“I can’t tell you what to do or anything like that.” Dawn grinned as a squirrel scolded her for coming too close, swishing his tail and chattering from a nearby tree. “But I can tell you this. If you love Marianne, and I mean, really, love her, she has all the love in the world to give you back. She doesn’t do anything halfway, but she will hold back if she’s not certain. I’m not sure why she was with that jerk for so long.”

“I’ve never dated,” stated Bog, his voice lowering. “I’ve never had time for it.”

“Why not?” Dawn had pressed for an answer, curious about how things were for fairies. She had assumed they lived a less complicated life than humans. 

“I have a lot of responsibilities as king,” replied Bog, stopping to look at the stream through the trees. It ran below them, down a grassy bank. “I have more responsibilities than is normal. Possibly, Marianne won’t like that.” His voice went lower. “I will tell her at some point, but right now, I would like to see what it’s like to, I don’t know, be normal.”

Dawn laughed. “You’re a fairy, Boggy, you’re anything but normal!”

“I’m afraid of that.” Bog frowned, glancing at her. “Outside of how I really look and the fact I do not live as you do, we are very much the same as humans. Humans and fairies mix as easily as humans and humans or fairies and fairies.”

“Yeah, Sunny told us that.” Dawn grinned, then realized something. “Sunny’s a fairy. I think you were unconscious when he told us that.”

“Oh.” Bog nodded slowly. “I didn’t catch that. Huh.” He looked out into the forest thoughtfully. 

Dawn smiled, returning to the house and sitting on the back porch with the door open. Soup was on the stove, but it could simmer for a while, and she didn’t want to interrupt Bog and Marianne. She liked him. Something about him was warm and inviting, a bit of a mystery, but one that wasn’t the least bit dangerous.

It didn’t matter what he looked like, Dawn’s sixth sense about people told her he had a kind soul beneath all that armor, anger, and posturing. It was evident by how he treated her completely differently from her sister that he responded with the same energy that was directed at him. Marianne just had to find that out on her own, and hopefully, she had. Seeing them in the swing, napping together with Bog’s arms around her sister, filled her with warmth.

Dawn wanted her sister to be happy and if a fairy did it, then so be it. A crow cawed and landed on the porch in front of Dawn. It walked a few steps in front of her, then dropped something on the wood. It fell with the sound of metal on wood. The crow cawed and picked it up, tossing it closer to Dawn. She stared at the bird.

“What do you have there?” Dawn set her laptop aside and reached down to pick up the offering as the crow fluttered his wings and ruffled his neck feathers.

It was a tiny bracelet with a gleaming green gem. “Huh.” Dawn rolled it between her fingers, realizing it would fit on a fairy. She grinned at the crow. “Where did you get this?”

The crow spread his wings, cawing at her. He fluttered to the ground and looked back at her. Dawn giggled and got up to follow the crow, the bracelet held carefully between her fingers. The crow took off into the trees to the east, away from the brook. Dawn hesitated at the tree line, glancing in the direction Bog and Marianne had gone in.

Worrying her lower lip, she considered her options. She couldn’t go to Bog and Marianne right now, but she could follow the crow a little way into the forest. With her mind made up, Dawn stepped into the woods and followed the crow as he flew from limb to limb, leading her further and further from the house.

Dawn continually glanced over her shoulder, keeping track of the house. She could still see the metal roof gleaming among the trees when the crow landed on a low branch over a circle of pearly white mushrooms.

“A fairy circle!” Dawn laughed, not thinking about it as she stepped into the ring. It was a perfect circle in a little clear area beneath a massive tree. Dawn twirled in the circle, thinking about how wonderful it would be to show to Marianne. She had seen plenty of these before, but none were as perfectly round, with the mushrooms placed at exactly the right intervals.

Giggling, Dawn hopped out of the circle, and the moment her foot cleared it, the forest spun wildly overhead. The overwhelming sensation of falling took her, shocking her senses as she flailed her arms in an attempt to catch herself. Blood rushed to her head so fast, she momentarily blacked out, but felt her impact with the ground, face first.

Everything hurt, and her stomach churned. Dawn groaned, pushing herself up on her hands and knees, stunned by hitting the ground. The dizzy sensation began subsiding, but the other aches and pains did not. There was a burning pain across her shoulder blades, and her vision was blurry.

Her eyes began focusing on the ground below her and her hands. It was all wrong. The ground seemed unnaturally bare, with large clumps of dirt and rocks around her. Worse, her hands looked odd. Had she hit her head hard enough to alter her perception?

Dawn blinked and twitched her fingers. The long slender hands beneath her moved as she wanted them to, and her breath caught in her throat. These weren’t her hands. They were longer, thinner, tipped in short curved nails. Instead of pinkish white skin, her hands were a pale golden brown with slightly darker mottling over them.

Her breaths became quick as she tilted her head to travel up her arm. Wrong. It was all wrong. Maybe she was dreaming? That had to be it. Dawn sat up and looked down, then squeaked in dismay, seeing that she was entirely naked. She clapped her arms over her chest and looked around for something to cover herself with.

A glint of metal in front of her in the dirt caught her eye. It was the bracelet the crow had brought her, only now, it wasn’t a tiny little piece of jewelry—it was big enough to put on. Shakily, Dawn rose to her feet and retrieved the bracelet, sliding it over her wrist so she wouldn’t lose it.

The crow cawed above her, and she whimpered, her gaze going to it. It was the crow’s fault. It had led her to the fairy circle and tricked her! Dawn turned around, spotting the mushrooms that were now just a little shorter than she was. What was it? Fairy circles were gateways into the fairy world, or instead, just made you small and turned you into a fairy.

Dawn took a deep breath and ran toward the circle. If it was a way in, it was also a way out, and she was not prepared to wander around in a strange new world in a body that wasn’t her own.

“Halt!” She didn’t make it as half a dozen brightly winged men dropped in front of her, forming a semi-circle around her. They wore gleaming bronze armor, with one in green, and each one of them had a halberd in hand, which they had lowered to point in her direction.

“Please, let me by.” Dawn glanced down the line, her eyes wide. “This was an accident! The crow led me here!”

“Back away.” The crow landed nearby, a fairy in green sitting astride its back. “Keep her away from the circle.”

“I didn’t mean to come here!” Dawn turned her attention to the fairy on the crow. “I need to get back. They will worry about me!”

“We brought you here to talk,” stated the crow fairy, frowning at her as he gestured to the six soldiers. They advanced, their bladed weapons coming closer. “Your trick worked. We thought you were a human, but the fairy circle is good at revealing who someone really is.”

“I’m a human!” Dawn protested, looking for a way out. 

“Don’t lie,” grunted the crow fairy. “You’re just like that rogue king you came with. I’m sure the other woman he’s cuddling up to is also like him. You’re Dragonfae, and we do not want your kind anywhere near our lands.”

“I don’t understand,” Dawn held her hands up in front of her face. “I’m a human!” Then she began crying, the tears falling from her confusion. “I’m a human girl!” She dropped her hands, realizing again that she wasn’t wearing anything, then fell to her knees, trying to cover herself and look as meek as possible. “I just want to go back!” 

The crow fairy glared at her, then looked around. “Grab some leaves so she can cover herself.” The fairies shifted, breaking their formation, and when they did, Dawn went for it, stumbling over the ground to the ring. She moved fast, but two of the guards flew at her, grabbing her by the arms to keep her from reaching the fairy circle.

“That’s enough!” The crow fairy leaped from his crow, flying down to Dawn. He grabbed her around the waist, and she yelped. “Bind her hands. I’ll get her home. You keep up your surveillance.”

“Yes, sir!” The soldiers snapped into action, producing rope and grabbing Dawn’s hands. She struggled in terror, but the fairy holding her had a powerful grip, and soon her hands were bound. The crow fairy grumbled under his breath the entire time, then carried her back to the crow, laying her in front of him on her stomach in the crow’s feathers.

“Don’t bother struggling,” said the Crow Fairy. “I will cut your wings if you even try to move.”

Wings? Dawn’s eyes widened further. Wings? Her back burned, and a snarl came from her captor. “I said to remain still, Dragonfae.”

“I’m a human,” whimpered Dawn, still confused by this turn of events. Then the offhanded comment Sunny made about if a human had even a drop of fairy blood in them, they would turn into a fairy when crossing over came to her. She wasn’t entirely humans.

Judging by what she could see of herself, she was like Bog, and the revelation and implications were mind-boggling. She was a fairy, and she was a captive of other fairies who didn’t like her on sight. This was not a good situation at all, and she couldn’t help the tears that rolled down her face.

But tears were not her only reaction as she thought about what she could say. There had to be some way to get these fairies to understand she just wanted to go home and wanted nothing to do with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bahahaha... Dawn looks like a female version of Bog, just cuter. :D :D :D Which MEANS!!!!!


	21. Crow Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Bog begins entertaining thoughts of romance, Dawn is in the clutches of a group of fairies who are very upset with her.0000

Nothing in his life matched the time he spent with Marianne--as little of it as he had. Bog followed her instructions as they laughed and played with each other in the swing seat. It swayed as he accidentally tickled her, then she revenge tickled him back. And for a short time, he forgot about his life and only existed for this bizarre human woman.

Bog couldn’t even recall being a kid at this point, even though it had been a short time ago. It might as well have been an entire lifetime. The strange feeling in his chest seemed to bloom, spreading through his body as he focused on making her smile. They kissed repeatedly, and he held her as she snuggled into his arms, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the quiet all around them.

Was this what love felt like? Bog asked the question multiple times, with each passing moment adding to the dream. He wanted to stay with Marianne and keep that beautiful smile on her face. Could he do that? No, that was a vain wish, but for the moment, he was with her and would not waste it.

“Ye are a good teacher.” Bog complimented her, burying his face into her hair.

“I wasted a lot of practice on idiot,” grumbled Marianne, her hands wrapping around his sides, pushing his shirt up to caress bare skin.

Bog sighed, dropping his hands down her body, not nearly as boldly. There were things he had on his mind, but he didn’t want to push too far or too fast. Dawn’s words were still in his mind. He didn’t have to rush into this, and he shouldn’t, no matter how much he wanted her.

Before he could move much further, he would have to tell her about his problems and life. For now, Bog just wanted to enjoy her presence and hold this warm, affectionate woman in his arms. He had never felt wanted or appreciated like this in his entire life.

“I could get used to this,” said Marianne, sighing contently.

“So could I. It’s much better than the city.”

“Do you live close to my house?”

“Yeah, we do, but we try to avoid humans.”

“Why?” Marianne asked curiously. “You could vanish into any city or town looking like you do.”

“Then I’d be a human,” replied Bog. “My life isn’t great right now, but I’m free, free to do as I want as a king.”

“I guess that would be appealing.”

“What would I do as a human, Marianne?” Bog frowned at the thought. “I have a birth certificate and a social security number because my parents arranged for it. We always have to have a way to move in the human world in case of emergencies. Sometimes, we even have to physically move our colony in a human form, but only the royal family knows how.”

“You change back and forth using magic?” Marianne pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, folding her arms over his chest.

“Not exactly. It’s just abilities we have, and going small is a defense mechanism. It’s how we survive.” Bog smiled at her, thinking about what she would like with wings, and they materialized behind her, wafting gently in the air—wings like his own.

“But you’re so,” Marianne bit her lower lip, gazing into his eyes, “terrifying.”

“What I look like isn’t what I am inside. Yes, my race is a race of warriors, but we prefer peaceful coexistence with our neighbors.” Bog grinned, making the wings flutter and catch the light. She would make a beautiful fairy. He switched the wings up to those more befitting her form, purple, gleaming dusky pink as the sunlight hit them. It amused him that he could do this without her noticing.

“So you all became tiny fairies? And hid?” Marianne continued asking questions, reaching up to caress his face. “Because you’re a pacifist?”

“I am not a pacifist,” grunted Bog. “Not by any means. I am peaceful, and we’re not all the same, just like not all humans are the same.” He closed his eyes, a broad smile spread over his face, enjoying her touch. The smile faded as he caught an unusual odor on an incoming breeze.

He inhaled through his nose, analyzing what it was—burning food. Chicken and vegetables. That was odd. He was certain Dawn was watching their lunch. Not wanting to move, he listened, then heard crows cawing. Their cries became alarmed, and he sat up, placing his hands on Marianne’s arms. “We need to check on Dawn. I think our dinner is burning.”

“Ugh,” groaned Marianne. “She’s probably been carried away into whatever she’s writing. I can’t tell you how many times she’s forgotten she was cooking and set off a fire alarm!”

“Ah, then nothing to worry about.” Bog smiled, then added, “But we should check on her anyway.”

“Yeah, don’t need the cabin to burn to the ground.” Marianne shifted, then paused. She leaned forward to kiss him one final time before sliding off the swing. Marianne grabbed her shirt, pulling it back over her head as she walked away.

Bog grinned, following her. There was likely nothing wrong—other than they weren’t having chicken soup for lunch.

###

Dawn wasn’t sure what to expect as the crow flew into the woods. Trees passed in a blur with occasional glimpses of blue sky. The fairy said nothing, keeping one hand on her back to make sure she was secure. Dawn was too terrified to move or even talk. 

She was a fairy, and that meant she needed her wings. Dawn had no idea how to use them, but she needed them if she wanted to escape. The crow slowed, and Dawn saw brightly winged fairies in the trees. Most of them were dressed in simple clothing. All of them looked unusually thin with hollow cheeks and sunken eyes.

The fairy holding her down didn’t look much better. Dawn glanced at him, noticing that his armor hid his condition, but his face showed everything. At first, she thought it was sharply lined, but no, his face was too thin.

They reached a tree a few minutes later, a towering, twisted pine tree that leaned to one side. The crow landed on a thick branch up high, and the fairy picked Dawn up, throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her closer to the trunk. Dawn turned her head to see a well-disguised doorway. Pine needles covered what appeared to be a structure wrapped around the tree trunk. 

“Let the king know I’ve captured one of the humans in the cabin, and she is a Dragonfae in disguise.” Several fairies bowed to the fairy holding her as he approached. “I’m taking her to the interrogation room.” He walked past them, entering a narrow corridor.

“I didn’t know I was a fairy,” said Dawn, trying again to talk sense into the crow fairy. “My name is Dawn. I’m twenty, and I write romance novels. The cute, sweet kind. Please, take me back so my sister won’t worry about me.”

He said nothing, passing by several fairies who all pressed themselves flat against the wall, staring at Dawn in horror. She smiled cheerfully at them, and their fear shifted into confusion.

“Can you give me something to wear? Please?” Dawn continued talking. “I don’t want people looking at me.”

They reached a small room, and the crow fairy set her on her feet, stepping back and placing his hands on her shoulders. The room was small, made up of woven pine needles and wood framing. There were no windows, and the only furniture was a single little stool against the back wall.

Dawn was a little taller than the crow fairy, and she lowered her head so she could look into his eyes, doing her best to get the point across that she was harmless and not this thing that scared them. She kept her hands down and forward, trying to retain some modesty.

He scowled, looking over her, his brows knitting tightly together. “Who is the Dragonfae king you brought with him? Why is he here?”

“That’s Bog.” Dawn smiled, more than eager to begin talking. “He had an accident in my house and my sister’s boyfriend, no wait, ex-boyfriend took him, then we rescued him, and now he’s hiding from fairy hunters!”

The Crow fairy stared at her, a look of complete confusion in his eyes. “Bog claimed territory and invaded our land.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to,” said Dawn, twitching her wings without thinking about it. They burned, but not as much as they had the first time. “We’re going to go.”

There was a knock on the door. The Crow Fairy made a face and ushered Dawn to sit on the stool. “Come in.” He unfastened the short cloak on his back and threw it over Dawn’s front, fastening it as several fairies entered the room. 

“Thank you,” whispered Dawn, lifting her head to look at the newcomers. There were three males and two females, each wearing similar armor to the Crow Fairy. They approached Dawn as her captor stood at her side, resting a hand on her shoulder.

“Good job, Basil,” complimented a fairy in dark red armor plating. A crown sat upon his head, and Dawn turned her full attention to him. This had to be their king. “We have you, and we need to know your intentions in our land, Dragonfae.”

“Her name is Dawn,” stated Basil, “and I don’t think the situation is what we assumed.”

“A rogue king came into our land, claimed territory, and riled up the bears,” stated the king angrily. “What other intentions could he have?”

“He was trying to keep us safe and keep the bears away?” Dawn stared at the king, hopefully. “I don’t know anything about fairy politics.”

“Is she naked?” The king looked at Basil with a deepening frown. “Dragonfae do not run around entirely naked. They’re always in armor.”

“That’s why I think there’s something to her story,” said Basil. “I saw her change from a human girl, the one with the blond hair, into a Dragonfae. She claims she didn’t know she was a fairy at all.”

“I did not know!” Dawn reiterated. “Please, take me home. I’ll tell Bog whatever you want me to tell him.”

The king rolled his eyes. “This is not good. Basil, if we return her, what will he do to us?”

“Nothing?” Dawn interrupted. 

“Quiet,” the king snapped, holding a hand up. He motioned to Basil to join him, and they moved away from Dawn, whispering amongst themselves. Their conversation became very animated as the fairies gestured to Dawn, speaking angrily.

“You know, we have a lot of food. I bet we could share it.” Dawn spoke up, trying to get their attention. “You’re very small, and I’m sure there’s enough to go around.”

The assembled fairies stopped talking, turning as one to face Dawn, their faces set into the same expression, thin-lipped frowns, their eyes hard and cold. “We don’t accept help from human invaders,” stated one of the women.

“If I’m a fairy, my sister is probably also a fairy, so it’s fairies helping fairies?” Dawn glanced down the line. “You look like you’re starving. Isn’t there enough food in the forest? I saw berry bushes. What about your children? I didn’t see any, but I assume if you’re hungry, so are they. We have plenty.”

The fairies stared at her.

“There are no children here,” said the king after a moment of silence that lasted far too long. “Your kind took them all.”

“What?” Dawn leaned back in her chair, eyes wide at that little bit of information. “Why?”

“To be their slaves,” growled Basil. 

“You clearly aren’t from here, but we don’t need another fairy colony in this forest,” added the king.

“What’s going on? Maybe we can help?”

“Help?” snorted the king. “They offered us help and invaded us three times over the last year. They raided our storehouses last fall. This spring, they took our children to be their slaves, then they returned to destroy our homes.”

“That sounds awful,” Dawn stated sympathetically, her eyes beginning to burn with tears at the thought.

“How do you think you can help? Bring in a new colony to finish wiping us out?” The king glared at Dawn as he asked the question.

“You should talk to Bog,” suggested Dawn sadly. “I told you. I don’t know anything, but he’s a king, and he does have a colony of his own. Maybe he will help you? He’s really nice, a bit grumpy, but I know he’s kind.”

The king shook his head, turning away from Dawn. “Basil, take her to get something suitable to wear and something to eat, then keep your eye on her. Do not let her escape. We need to figure out what we’re going to do about this King Bog.”

“Yes, sir.” Basil bowed as the five fairies walked out of the room, talking amongst themselves. 

Dawn looked at him when the door closed and asked hopefully, “Do you believe me?”

“It doesn’t matter if I believe you or not, Dawn.” Basil turned to frown at her. “We are in a tough situation, and no matter what happens, it won’t be good for us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe.. Dawn as a fairy like BOG!!!!


	22. Dawn Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn's in trouble and Bog tracks her to the colony...

The moment they left the trees, Bog knew something was wrong. Smoke wafted through the open backdoor, and Dawn’s laptop sat on the back porch next to a half-filled glass of tea. They rushed inside with Marianne turning off the fire, then moving the burning pot from the burner and placing it into the sink.

“Dawn!” Bog shouted, running up the stairs. He knew she wouldn’t be there but had to look anyway. Downstairs, Marianne ran around the living room, checking the storage room and bathroom.

They met downstairs in a panic, almost running into each other as they ran through the living room, Bog heading to the front door while Marianne ran to the other. They spent several minutes running around the outside of the house, yelling for Dawn, then listening for her. 

Bog scowled, stopping at the edge of the trees. He could smell where Dawn had gone. His sense of smell was better than a human’s but not as good as it was in his Dragonfae form. “Marianne!” Bog called out to her. “She went this way.” He turned, waiting for her to join him.

“I don’t know why Dawn would go wandering into the woods.” Marianne twisted her fingers anxiously, walking after Bog.

“We’ll find her,” growled Bog, “even if I have to shift to track her down, but I’m sure she hasn’t gone far. Her scent is getting stronger.”

###

Dawn walked through the hall, keeping beside Basil. The fairy kept an arm around her shoulders, leading her to stairs that led into a lower part of the structure. There were more halls and stairs until they reached a floor full of female fairies working on cleaning and repairing a pile of clothes.

“Wanda,” Basil stepped up to a thin fairy woman in a simple green frock made out of leaves. The moment she saw Dawn, she yelped and jumped back, almost falling out of her chair. 

“It’s okay. Dawn’s harmless.” Basil threw his hands up in an attempt to calm the woman.

“Hi!” Dawn waved at Wanda and gave her a friendly smile.

“She needs something to wear,” said Basil, motioning up and down Dawn’s body.

Wanda shakily got to her feet, glancing at the other fairies who gave her horrified looks. “Okay, come with me.” She walked past Dawn and Basil, her gait unsteady.

A few minutes later, Dawn stood in another small room with Basil standing guard. Wanda wouldn’t come near Dawn unless Basil stood by, and Dawn blushed at having to stand naked in front of strangers.

Basil removed the ropes around her wrist and seemed a little uncomfortable with the situation as Wanda looked Dawn over, using her hands to get an idea of her proportions, then she left and was gone for a while.

“This would be a lot easier if you would just take me back,” suggested Dawn, looking at him hopefully.

“Our king instructed me to hold onto you.” Basil reminded her with a sigh. “You were there.”

“Yeah, but I want to go home.” Dawn pouted, keeping her back to Basil, arms folded over her chest. “I don’t belong here. I don’t even know how to fly.”

“It’s instinct,” grumbled Basil, glancing at her. “Your wings will just work.”

“I still don’t belong here,” said Dawn sadly, lowering her head and worrying her lower lip. “I’m not a fairy.”

“If you weren’t a fairy, then you wouldn’t look like that.” Basil reached out to touch her shoulder. “Now, Dawn, we didn’t want to do what we had to, but you need to understand that your kind, Dragonfae, raided our kingdom. They took all of our food and children. They kept some as slaves and sent the others to live in another neighboring kingdom. We are between these two kingdoms.”

“That’s really sad.” Dawn glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t touch me, okay? I don’t know you, and you’re a little scary.”

Basil laughed, withdrawing his hand. “We’ll have to bring you a mirror so you can see who’s really scary.”

“Not me,” protested Dawn, then she began crying again, but only for a moment. “I don’t belong here. I’ve never hurt anyone in my life. I’m not scary.”

“What did you say to her?” Wanda gave Basil a dirty look as she returned with her arms full of clothing.

“Me? Nothing! Not really!” Basil protested, sweeping his wings down low.

“Am I really scary?” Dawn frowned at Wanda, wiping her eyes.

“At first, yes, you are.” Wanda set the clothing down on a nearby table and pulled off the top piece, a simple blue top. The fairy sighed, offering it to Dawn. “At first. Now, not really. You see, our Dragonfae neighbors killed-”

“Stop.” Basil snapped, and Wanda tilted her head to scowl at him.

“They are awful,” grumbled Wanda, turning back to Dawn. Spotting the bracelet on her wrist, she grabbed it with one hand, lifting Dawn’s wrist. “You used a family heirloom to trap her? Really, Basil?”

“It worked, didn’t it.” Basil shrugged, grimacing.

“Are you related?” Dawn attempted to change the conversation.

“He’s my little brother,” said Wanda with a scowl. “I’d like the bracelet back if you don’t mind.”

“Sure!” Dawn immediately slid it off, offering it to Wanda. “I didn’t want to lose it. It looked important.”

“Thank you.” Wanda took it and clasped it on her wrist, turning to glare at her brother.

It didn’t take long to get dressed, and Basil didn’t bother tying her hands again. They left for another part of the tree, passing through more halls than Dawn could count. Fairies passed by them, some laden with baskets full of blueberries or dandelion greens.

“You’re fortunate you arrived when you did. We’re just now getting in a harvest, so there’s food to eat.” Basil opened a door for Dawn, and she stepped into a small room. “This is my room. I’ll keep you in here until they call for you. If you need to rest, feel free to use my bed. I have no idea how long it will take.”

Dawn nodded, walking to the center of the room as Basil walked to the side and reached into a basket. He pulled out a single ripe blueberry and carried it to a small table, placing it on a wooden plate.

The room was tiny, with only room for a small oval-shaped bed that looked remarkably like a nest. It appeared to have some sort of moss pad inside it with a pillow and folded blanket sitting in the middle.

There were two chairs made of twigs and woven pine needles. A low table sat between them. A small bookshelf sat against one wall with a few books stacked on one side. There wasn’t much to see in the room, and it appeared it was only used for sleeping.

Basil placed a bowl filled with blueberry slices onto the low table. “Help yourself, Dawn, if you’re hungry.” He picked up a slice and took a bite, sitting in the other chair. Dawn took a piece and nibbled on it.

“What’s it like being a human? What is your world like?” Basil leaned back in his chair--his wings draped over the low back.

“Well, there’s lots of food,” began Dawn with a smile. “My life isn’t like everyone else’s. I have my big sister, Marianne, watching out for me. I can be a little light-headed.”

“Are you ill?” Basil asked in concern, peering at her curiously.

“No, it’s a figure of speech!” Dawn laughed, taking another bite of the blueberry slice. “My head’s in the clouds. I’m not thinking about what I should be thinking about, according to her.”

“Oh.” Basil nodded slowly. “You are young. That’s-that’s how we were before.” He sighed, finishing his slice, then letting his hands hang off his knees.

“Are you okay?” Dawn set the remainder of the blueberry down and turned to face Basil. “What you said about what happened to your people sounds awful. Why don’t you move?”

“And go where?” Basil gestured with both hands out in front of him. “We are in the middle of two kingdoms. They are pressing in on us and will kill us if we try to leave.”

“Honestly, I bet we could fit all of your people into Sunny’s car and take you elsewhere,” Dawn said, tapping a long finger thoughtfully against her chin.

“I doubt it’s that easy,” muttered Basil. “You see, there’s another problem.”

“I know you’re up there, and if you are holding my friend, I am going to come up there and rip your colony to shreds!” A muffled voice came through the walls, which sounded very much like Bog’s voice, coming from down below.

“Dawn! Are you up there!” Marianne’s voice joined his, yelling as loud as she could.

Basil froze, grimacing. “And that would be another problem with moving.”

“What?” Dawn’s eyes grew wide as she jumped up. “I need to get out of here immediately! I don’t want him to hurt you!”

“This way.” Basil rose to his feet, giving Dawn a plaintive look. “I may get into trouble for this, but we can’t take any more losses.”

Bog and Marianne stood at the bottom of a towering pine tree, both glaring up at it. “She’s up there,” growled Bog. “I can smell her scent, and I see the fairies all around. They took her.”

“What would fairies want with Dawn?” Marianne frowned, squinting in an effort to see what Bog could. The tree rose a good thirty feet over them. The lower part of it spread out, covered in branches laden with pine needles. She couldn’t see much of anything.

There were a few butterflies, but they vanished into the limbs shortly after she spotted them. Bog’s shouting didn’t seem to help.

“How would they get Dawn up into that tree? She’s bigger than them, right?” Marianne fretted, resting a hand on the tree trunk.

“Ye noticed the fairy circle, didn’t ye?” Bog glanced at her, then looked back up the tree. “I suspect they lured her into the circle, then carried her off. Humans passing through a fairy circle become small.”

“But why?”

“No idea, but they have to return her immediately, or I am coming up there!” Bog’s voice rose again with the threat as he lifted his staff, making sure they saw it. “I am a king, and I know ye don’t have any royalty up there. Ye don’t have a veil!”

“A veil?” Marianne stood by Bog, waiting for an answer.

“Every colony has royalty who create a veil by their presence. When a colony is veiled, humans can not approach it, and if a fairy approaches it in a large form, they are automatically transformed into a less threatening form.” Bog explained quickly. “Think about it. How hard would it be for one fairy colony to exterminate another if they could just walk upon them like this?”

“Oh! I get it.” Marianne nodded quickly, then shouted up the tree. “She’s my sister! I’m worried about her. Just bring her down, and we’ll leave.”

“And ye don’t come near us again,” added Bog with a snarl. “We’re just passing through, and I’m not a threat to your kingdom. I don’t want it! I got enough of a kingdom to deal with!”

The air was suddenly full of bright butterfly wings, and a squabble broke out overhead. The fairies fluttered around in fright, many fleeing to nearby trees to watch.

Then one, a fairy with green wings holding someone, dropped straight toward them after yelling at several of the others. He landed on a branch just above their heads and set a second fairy down next to him.

Bog’s eyes settled on the fairy as he pushed the other one off the branch. She fell a short distance before her wings flared out and flapped awkwardly. Bog reached out to catch her, his eyes wide and mouth agape. He couldn’t breathe, realizing, first of all, this fairy wasn’t like the others, no, she was a Dragonfae. The second thing to hit him was it was Dawn.

The fairy had her same hair and eyes, even if her build was different. She was golden-brown with translucent golden wings that ended in pink. Bog stared at her as she waved to him and yelled, “It’s me, Dawn! Don’t hurt them!”

“That’s-that’s not… no.” Marianne stared at Bog’s hands as he turned, holding Dawn out so she could see her. “No.” Marianne’s voice dropped to a squeak. She began breathing fast, panicking as she stared at Dawn.

Bog frowned, turning and cupping his hands over Dawn to hold her protectively. Then he began running, back through the forest, to where they had passed the fairy circle. 

Marianne ran through the forest, chasing after Bog. He wasn’t running as fast as he could—she knew he wasn’t, but he was far ahead of her. Her sister was a fairy? The thought ran through her head, bringing with it a sense of lightheadedness and dizziness that threatened every step she made.

Dawn was a fairy?

How could this be possible? Not only was she a fairy, but she looked remarkably like what Bog had looked like as a fairy—tall, slender, with wings like a dragonfly. This couldn’t be happening because if Dawn was a fairy, it meant that without a doubt—so was Marianne.

All the things she had said about Bog when she looked at him as a thing, a dangerous looking creature with possibly malicious intent came back to her. She was talking about herself. She was the same as him, and the words stung in her memory.

When Bog reached the fairy ring, he kneeled next to it, opening his hands to set Dawn on the ground. “Go on, ye just have to step inside and out again.” Marianne overheard Bog’s words as she came up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders to watch, her eyes wide and staring.

Dawn dropped out of his hands, ran into the ring, then stepped out, regaining her size immediately and looking exactly like a human. Bog breathed a sigh of relief, smiling at her as she turned and looked at them. She didn’t appear to be harmed.

“Guess what?” Dawn said cheerfully. “I’m a fairy! I’m a Dragonfae like Bog!” 

“So I saw,” gasped Bog, staring at her.

“I can’t believe it,” whispered Marianne, careful to walk around the fairy circle and grab her sister in a hug. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No, they didn’t, but they weren’t very nice at first, either. They lured me out here with a crow. I thought it might be one of Bog’s crows,” replied Dawn. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to be sorry.” Bog rose upright, glancing around. He smiled at Dawn. “Yer like me, which means,” he turned his gaze to Marianne.

“No,” she snapped, stepping away from the fairy circle, lest he attempt to push her inside. 

“Yer like me too.” Bog’s smile widened, and the amount of warmth in his blue eyes was enough to make Marianne tremble. Her knees felt suddenly weak, and she stumbled.

“I’m not, no,” she began breathing fast again, in shock. “I’m not a fairy! This is all--it’s not real!” She gave her sister an exasperated look. “I did not just see that!”

“I was a fairy, and I had wings, and I could fly!” Dawn giggled, thrilled with the idea that was sending her sister into a panic.

“Marianne?’ Bog stepped closer to her, and she recoiled.

“You did something to us! That has to be it. You changed us!” She threw the threat at Bog, and he scowled at her. “You have these powers, and you’re using them on us!”

“Marianne.” Bog repeated a little louder and in a stern voice. “I would never do such a thing.”

“It was real.” Dawn glanced at Bog with a smile.

“Yeah, it was real.” Bog frowned as Marianne turned and ran through the woods, heading back to the house. “It’s real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe.. I had to make this different from Fairy Garden. Marianne and Dawn couldn't just be the same fairies... and then it hit me... they could be like Bog, because it's a lot easier dealing with being a pretty little fairy princess than a monstrous fairy. 
> 
> Happy holidays!


	23. What I Am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne is unable to accept what she is and Bog decided to leave her be, disappointed at her rejection.

Marianne ran inside the house, wishing for a place to hide and think. It wasn’t like her to have this reaction to anything, but the fact she was a fairy was overwhelming. It destroyed the reality she had lived for her entire life--all twenty-seven years of it.

She was a fairy.

There were no doubts. Dawn was her sister, and if she turned into a fairy, so would Marianne. She accused Bog out of an inability to accept that this was what she was, but there was nothing behind the accusation. He hadn’t been with Dawn when she changed.

Not only that, but becoming a fairy wasn’t one of those things you just ‘caught’. She was sure that if a fairy bit you, you probably didn’t turn into a fairy. This wasn’t werewolves and vampires.

Marianne frowned, standing in the middle of the living room. She had insulted Bog in her panic and hadn’t meant to. The wood floorboards creaked as someone walked through the back door.

“Marianne?” Dawn whispered, walking up behind her. “It’s not a bad thing, you know.” Her sister wrapped her arms around her, leaning her head against her back. “It was weird at first, but being able to fly is really cool!” Dawn laughed. “Even if I didn’t really fly. I was pushed, and Bog caught me. It was a rush! You have got to try it.”

“No, I don’t.” Marianne shook her head, glancing over her shoulder and meeting Bog’s eyes. He had been so happy when he realized it, but she just couldn’t accept it. “I don’t want to. I’m sorry. I just don’t.”

Bog nodded, turning away, his hand sliding down the shaft of his staff. He walked through the back door, the butt of his staff dragging on the floor.

Dawn shoved the heel of her hand into the middle of Marianne’s back, pushing her forward. “Marianne!”

“Ow, what!’ Marianne turned, scowling at her sister.

“Don’t be mean!”

“Why am I always mean?” Marianne threw her hands into the air, exasperated with the accusation.

“You can be so selfish,” whimpered Dawn, pointing to the now closed door. “Bog likes you, and you hurt him.”

Marianne turned, opening her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She snapped her mouth closed and sighed, dropping her eyes to meet her sister’s. 

“What does it matter if we like each other? We don’t come from the same world. What do we have in common?” Marianne began low, her voice rising with intensity. 

“You like him, and you want to find that out?” suggested Dawn with one of her sweet smiles, turning toward the kitchen. “I’ll clean up the mess and make sandwiches.” She giggled. “And I won’t follow any more crows into the woods.”

Marianne stared at her sister, feeling awful and twisted up inside with indecision. Then she blinked, lifting her head. She was still confused and scared, but it wasn’t because she was repulsed by it, and she needed to let Bog know immediately because he could leave right now, and if he left, she might never find him again.

#

Bog walked out into the back of the house, heading for the trees and back to the fairy circle. He called to the crows--his mind made up. He could pass through the fairy circle and not waste any energy, and then he could take a crow home. It was early enough it would still be light by the time he reached the first evacuation point, and then he could put this entire ordeal behind him.

The expression on Marianne’s face said it all. She was horrified to find out she was like him. So let her go on living like a human. It was probably a better life than he could ever give her. Bog’s plans shifted. He still intended to move his colony, but he would not go near Marianne or Dawn under any circumstances.

A sharp pain ran through his gut, and he slowed. The crows called out in the distance, coming his way. He was almost to the fairy circle when he caught a flicker of green wings dropping down into the ring of mushrooms. Bog scowled, remembering that was the color of the fairy’s wings that had pushed Dawn off the branch.

The human male that stepped out of the circle appeared to have been in good shape at one time, broad-shouldered and fine-featured. His body was gaunt and not like Bog’s, which was just how he was made to be. This fairy was starving, and passing through the fairy circle in his state was risky.

“I’m about to leave,” said Bog as his crows landed in the trees over them. “So ye will be one Dragonfae less.”

“We need to talk first.” The fairy bowed to Bog. “You know our situation?”

“Looking at ye, knowing ye don’t have a king?” Bog ground his jaw at them, glancing at his crows. “Yer colony is going to die.”

“It’s worse than that.” Basil kept his head down as he spoke. “Let me explain.”

“Bog!” Marianne’s voice rang through the woods, followed by a tremendous amount of noise. Bog sighed, grabbing Basil’s arm and pulling him toward the fairy circle.

“Uh, problems?” Basil glanced into the forest in the direction of the noise.

“It’s complicated,” grumbled Bog, “and I’d prefer not to have a conversation about anything important with a naked fairy.” He waved at the crows, and one landed next to the fairy ring, then he stepped into the fairy ring with Basil following him.

They stepped out in fairy form with Bog still gripping Basil’s arm. Basil grimaced, glancing back at Bog’s wings. “Dawn wasn’t kidding when she said you were injured.”

“Don’t get any funny ideas,” growled Bog. “I’m in much better shape than ye.” The crow knelt next to Bog, and he grabbed a handful of feathers to pull himself up onto its back. He motioned for Basil to join him and the fairy leaped onto the crow’s back behind him, grabbing handfuls of feathers to hold on as it spread its wings and flew into a nearby tree just as Marianne came into view.

“Bog!” Marianne zeroed in on the crow, her eyes set on it as she ran forward, stopping outside the fairy circle. “Bog! Don’t go! We need to talk!”

Bog frowned, part of him wanting to go back, the other part noting that she had repeatedly hurt him. Maybe she needed some time to think. He certainly did.

“Bog.” Marianne looked at the crow, her eyes growing wide in dread. “I understand if you need to go back, but you said you didn’t need to promise me you would come back to me because nothing could keep you away. Don’t let my idiotic kneejerk reactions be the reason you don’t come back!”

“She likes you,” said Basil as Bog scowled.

“I’m sorry,” Marianne added, her eyes falling on the fairy circle. She took a step back, adding, “You don’t understand how much this scares me. I’m not who I thought I was.” 

Bog’s scowl deepened as he watched her walk away, desperately wanting to run after her, but he decided it would be better if he gave her time and a little distance. He wasn’t certain what he would say anyway.

“Whatever ye need to say, out with it,” grumbled Bog, not wanting to discuss anything having to do with what just happened. “And ye will stay away from them. They have enough problems. I’ll be back tomorrow, so don’t try that stunt again. I know yer vulnerable.”

“To the East is a colony of vicious Dragonfae, and to the West, there’s more Soleil like us,” Basil began talking fast as Bog fixed him with a critical glare. “We’ve never been on good terms with either of them. Last year the Soleil came and offered to help us with a snake problem, then they stole our food. Repeatedly they raided us, and then the Dragonfae got involved. This spring, they invaded our castle, killed our royals, every single one of them, and took every fairy under the age of twenty to be their slaves. They gave many of them to the other colony.”

Basil took a deep breath before continuing. “They’ve hit us repeatedly since then, stealing everything we manage to gather, killing anyone who opposes them. We have no hope here.”

“I’m Dragonfae,” grunted Bog. “What makes ye think ye can even trust me? How do I know yer story is true?”

“Come back with me and see for yourself.” Basil pressed. “We need a king, or we’re going to die.”

“Ye must be desperate, coming to someone ye don’t know who could wipe ye out himself.”

“You had the opportunity and a reason, and you didn’t.” Basil pointed out.

“Maybe I didn’t consider ye worth my time,” growled Bog. “Ye see, ye don’t know me or how I run my kingdom or even what it’s like. Right now, it’s in danger, and I need to get back to it.”

“At this point, even if we’re living as slaves, we would at least still be living,” Basil sighed, hovering off the crow’s back. “We’re starving, and when winter comes, food won’t matter--they’re going to see to it that we freeze to death.”

Bog nodded slowly, “I will be back tomorrow. Do not bother Marianne and Dawn. What yer asking is a lot, and I have no reason to help ye after ye took Dawn.”

“I know, but there’s thirty-two of us, and we have many skilled and hard workers.” Basil landed on a nearby branch, his wings drooping as his voice dropped to a pleading tone. “We would be good for any colony. Take some of us at least.”

Bog stared at him. He had heard similar from others, and it was listening to them pleading that put him in his current position. However, this was a little different and might fix his colony’s situation, but he had to think about it and how it would work out.

Offering any kind of help without knowing the full extent of what he was dealing with could not be rushed into. If he decided to take the members of this colony without a king into his own, it would be all of them, and as their king, he would also have to show them he was their king.

In Bog’s mind, that meant he had to get their children back, and fighting two colonies would not be easy. He had to plan, and that would take time.

“I will return tomorrow,” repeated Bog, scowling. “Let’s go.” The crow hopped off the branch and took to the air, soaring over the treetops. Three crows joined them, and they were off, heading in the direction of the town they had fled from days earlier.

“He left.” Marianne stated, passing through the kitchen as Dawn held out a plate with a sandwich and a pile of chips. “I’m not hungry.”

“Oh, no, Marianne, I’m sorry.” Dawn followed her sister, still carrying the plate. “Did you at least get to speak to him?”

“I spoke to him, but he didn’t answer,” replied Marianne mournfully, “and I deserved it. Dawn, I couldn’t stop myself. It’s just… scary.” She stopped, turning to face her sister.

Dawn stared into her sister’s serious face, then broke into giggles. “I’m a real fairy!” 

“I don’t want to be a fairy, but it has nothing to do with how I feel about Bog.” Marianne scowled at her sister, then shook her head. “I like him more than I’ve liked anyone in my entire life.” She reached out and put her hands on her sister’s shoulders, leaning forward, so her forehead touched Dawn’s. “And that’s just like. I don’t understand.”

“Is he going to come back?” Dawn whispered the question.

“I don’t know. He promised, but I messed things up.”

They stood for a moment in silence, and then there was a knock at the door. Dawn immediately stepped back, her face lighting up as she gasped. “That’s him! He came back!”

Marianne stared at the door in shock. There was no one else it could be. Stiffly, she walked to the door and jerked it open—and was immediately disappointed and worried. First of all, a naked man stood in the doorway. Second, he was not Bog.

“Basil!” Dawn called out, bouncing up and down behind her sister as she backed away from the door.

“You know him?” Marianne wasn’t sure if she could relax or not. Even though the man looked rough, he might still be able to overpower her. She glanced to the kitchen and the butcher block full of knives, considering what she had on hand.

Dawn walked past Marianne, holding out the plate she had in her hands. “What are you doing here? Come inside. I told you we have a lot of food, and we can share!”

“I think your sister is concerned.” Basil remained inside the doorway, gesturing at Marianne. 

“Wouldn’t you be if a naked man showed up on your doorstep?” Marianne scowled, grabbing for a frilly apron hanging from a hook over a knife.

“It’s okay, he’s one of the fairies.” Dawn glanced at her sister, grinning.

Marianne sighed, rolling her eyes as she walked up to him and held out the apron. “Just what I need. More fairies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed the notion of Marianne turning into a fairy like BOG.  
> Happy holidays and a happy new year!


	24. Introspection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne deals with Basil, Sunny thinks about Dawn, and Bog... is home.

Marianne distracted herself with finding clothes for Basil, dragging him through the house, so he wasn’t in the same room with Dawn alone. Her little sister followed, holding a plate, trying to get him to eat, which he was more than happy to do. Basil complimented Dawn on the delicious tuna fish sandwiches and chips with such innocent appreciation Marianne had to roll her eyes.

There were clothes hanging up in one of the closets, probably Sunny’s father’s or a male relative. Marianne had run across them while looking for something else that Bog could wear. None of them would have fit him, made for someone shorter, but they were fine on Basil.

The lack of embarrassment was startling as he dressed in front of them, pulling on a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of well worn, tan cargo pants. There was a pair of well-worn hiking boots that were close enough in size to be comfortable.

Basil appeared to be around six feet in height, a little taller than Marianne. He was underweight, but even so, he was an impressively handsome man with dark, blond hair and sandy brown eyes. Marianne had to admit--she would have stared at him if she had seen him walking down a street. Like Bog, there was something about him in his human form that screamed he wasn’t like other humans. Something was off.

“Thank you.” Basil bowed to Marianne once he finished dressing. “I won’t be in the way.”

Marianne sighed as her sister walked down the stairs with Basil following close behind. He seemed harmless, even after Dawn told her he was the one who kidnapped her. Basil insisted he had a talk with Bog and followed her back, but Marianne was still suspicious.

She lingered in the hall upstairs, going over her final conversation with Bog and that look on his face. Her words came out in a panic, and she had never been good about closing her mouth at the right times. Like it or not, she was a fairy, and she had told Bog, also a fairy, that she didn’t want it—didn’t want him.

They had several hours of bliss, which was Bog’s doing, and she had loved every moment of it. Sleeping against him had been one of those things that left her feeling like she had been with him her entire life and was more than willing to remain with him. Her feelings toward him were confusing, a complete mystery, like nothing she had ever felt in her life.

Something inside insisted that she needed him, and he needed her. They needed to be together, and she couldn’t accept it, not yet. It was too fast, and she wasn’t a fool to rush into such a thing. She needed to know more about him.

Sunny sat in his Seltos, which was now grey. For the last few days, he had numerous conversations with his parents. They had not found the colony or any signs of it, but that could have been because, with the colony’s king gone, the veil effect had faded.

Usually, all they had to do was search the area and figure out where a colony was by mapping the voids—places where they were repelled for whatever reason. They told Sunny what he had done was the absolute best thing he could have done. Removing Bog from his colony meant the fairy hunters had absolutely no chance of figuring out where they lived.

There were a multitude of areas the colony could be in, with his parents thinking it was a watershed area nearby that led to a park. They spotted a large number of rabbits in the tall grasses next to a large culvert that opened into a small holding pond. The area was full of insects and frogs. Massive pecan trees, wild plums, and a few other edible plants could be seen on the other side of the pond.

Given the little they knew about Dragonfae, it seemed like the best spot for a colony. If they knew that, then so did the hunters. It would be best for him to stay away for a while, and now Sunny was on his way to the cabin—or would be in a few hours. 

The Seltos sat beneath a shady tree in a small parking lot next to a park. Sunny would go shopping in a few hours and buy another week’s worth of groceries. He had met his parents earlier in the day at their home and gone over the plan.

Sunny smiled, leaning back in the driver’s seat, reading a book written by Rose A. Sweets, aka Dawn. There were a dozen books in the series so far, each a light fairy tale about a couple falling in love who came from very different backgrounds. They were sappy, saccharine books for hopeless romantics—and Sunny ate them up.

Nobody was supposed to know Dawn’s pseudonym. He figured it out because he saw the books on a shelf in the living room--multiple copies of each one. The words Proof Copy were printed on the front cover of one of them, laying flat on the shelf. He bought the first book to see what it was like because he had a crush on Dawn the moment she moved in. She was so sweet and kind and came over the play video games frequently.

Soon, he had all of them, and he read them over and over. Sunny didn’t tell Dawn he figured out her secret because he worried she might think he was a stalker. She confided in him that she had one once and the momentarily terrified look on her face kept his mouth shut.

Sunny made sure the books were never in sight and, on a daily basis, tried to work up the courage to ask Dawn out on a real date. He made plans for dinners, to go to the movies or the local amusement park. Each time, he almost succeeded, then backed off because they were friends, and he valued their friendship more than anything.

Dawn needed to be the one to make the first move, and he would wait an eternity for that day if he had to. She was well worth waiting for. And now, with this emergency, he had shared something with her he had never shared with anyone.

He was a fairy, and there was a whole world out there that she knew nothing about. Sunny didn’t even know as much as he should have—being raised among humans. He was far more human than fairy and shunned his reality. It was dangerous to be what he was, and he knew it. If that woman had even remotely suspected and caught him in her command to make Bog show himself, he would have lost everything.

Sunny had a paper trail, a human trail of identification that would lead the fairy hunters directly to him and his parents. They would all have to flee and change their identities, possibly never able to return to the job he loved—rescuing his people.

Fairies were far more numerous than one would think because they could live anywhere. They chose to withdraw from humanity for a good reason. Humans were dangerous. 

Sunny dropped the book onto his chest with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. Just a few hours, and he would see Dawn again. He would be his normal self, pushing aside how much he felt for her in favor of making sure he did his job.

The flight wasn’t bad, but it was tiring. Bog trusted the crows, knowing the landmarks to get home as well as knowing the roads. They ran into hawks with fairies on their back, healthier fairies than Basil’s group.

The knowledge that Basil’s plea was true hit hard. Even more telling was the fact the hawks withdrew almost immediately. Bog assumed it was because they recognized him as Dragonfae. 

Now that he knew, it ate at him. They took Dawn because they were afraid of him, but they returned her unharmed, and it appeared that Basil desperately sought his help, even if he didn’t have the authority. Basil’s people seemed to be typical fairies in a tight spot, and worse, they had lost their children.

Bog had two hours to think about it. The trip should have taken less time, but he had to check street signs, and they couldn’t fly the path straight. When he returned to the cabin, it would take far less time, and the crows would know the route both ways and be able to take him quickly.

The four crows were patient and intelligent. Bog wanted a whole flock of the birds. They had rabbits, but no birds. The birds where he lived were too small to provide suitable mounts, and he hadn’t had time to really look for bigger ones. Now, he had a dozen crows and couldn’t wait to show them to his mother.

Bog took his time once he reached the areas he knew well. He had the crows take a roundabout path, watching the humans below going about their daily business. Then they were over the neighborhood where Bog knew every human, cat, and dog by sight.

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, so he took the chance and headed to the little park near the watershed that he called home. Young Naiads flew from the swampy area around the pecan trees into the air, shouting when they saw the crows, many bearing spears. A scattering of Soleil and Dragonfae children with a few adults did the same, swords, axes, staves, and any manner of weapon in their hands, waiting to see if the crows were hostile.

Then they broke into excited screaming at the sight of Bog. It appeared nothing was out of place, except him. The crows landed in the biggest pecan tree, and Bog slid off the back of the one he was riding, motioning to the birds. “Feed them. They’re our friends.”

“Where have you been?” The question rose from multiple mouths, followed by gasps and the second question, “What happened to your armor? Your wings! What happened, Bog?”

“I’ll tell ye later,” sighed Bog, forced to walk through the crowd of questioning fairies, the majority of them children. “Where’s my mother?”

“In the throne room!” The answer came from many mouths, and Bog nodded, making his way down the thick, knotted branch to the closest entry.

“My son!’ Bog crouched as he entered the throne room, his short, elderly mother sliding out of his throne and running to him as fast as she could. Behind her, a pair of little girls—both Solis fae screamed, throwing their hands into the air as they ran for him.

“Mother.” Bog couldn’t help but smile as his mother wrapped her arms around his neck and almost pulled him off his feet. The two girls grabbed onto his legs, laughing and hugging him tightly. “Flora. Belle.”

“Daddy!” the girls bounced up and down, still gripping him.

“I’m glad to see everyone is okay.” Bog kneeled to hug the two girls, closing his eyes as he inhaled their comforting scent. His family, Mom, Flora, Belle—where were the others? “Rey, Puck, and Juniper out food gathering?” Bog lifted his chin to look at his mother, awaiting an answer. The anxious look on her face as she frowned was not what he expected.

“There were humans walking around where they shouldn’t when you disappeared, Bog.” Griselda wrang her hands, nodding to the two girls. “I need to speak to your father. Go play. I’m sure he will know where your big brother and sisters are.”

The two girls whined as one, turning their brown eyes into lethal weapons. Bog smiled, running his hands through their hair. “Go on.” He kissed one on the head, then the other, lightly pushing them off to the side. They dragged their feet, then reluctantly walked off together. Bog turned his attention fully to his mother, leaning on his staff. “I made a mistake, and to make a long story short, there are fairy hunters who know we are here, and we need to move the colony as fast as possible.”

“That explains a lot.” Griselda sighed. “Moving will be an undertaking that will require time, Bog.”

“I’m aware of that, but it may not if we have humans who can help us.” Bog said, observing his mother’s face. “We may have assistance.”

“What do we do about the fairy hunters?”

“We keep watch and prepare to evacuate to our safe locations.” Bog glanced around the throne room. There were other fairies present, but most were taking care of matters outside their hearing range. “My other kids?”

Griselda took a deep breath, shaking her head. “Rey and Puck took it upon themselves to spy on them and told me all about what they heard. There were two sets of Hunters. One was all dressed in identical clothing and had radios. They talked using codewords about an infestation in the area and a missed asset. The other group arrived after the first left. There were only two, a man and a woman.” She stopped speaking, her forehead wrinkling severely.

“They called for us using your name, Bog,” whispered Griselda. “They told us to be wary and that they knew where you were, and you were safe. I told the kids to stay home, but I suspect they left and went with the humans. Either they were captured, or they’re lost and can’t figure out how to get home.”

“Rey,” groaned Bog, rolling his eyes. “That girl is going to be the death of me. Puck too.”

“Do you have an idea of where they are?” Griselda asked, hopefully.

“No, but I know who will.” Bog scowled, looking away. “And I have to leave immediately.” He stood upright and turned to the doorway he had just walked through. Griselda gasped, and Bog grimaced, realizing she hadn’t seen his wings until only then.

“You need to be healed, Bog.” She stepped closer to him, and he turned to her, nodding. 

“Can ye do it?”

“Get on your knees so I can reach you.” Griselda pointed to the floor, and Bog obediently dropped, going down to a level his mother could easily reach his back. “Bog,” she scolded him, pressing a warm hand to his back. He heard the sound of a knife leaving a scabbard and pursed his lips, knowing what would come next. “I have to cut out several parts to put them back together.

“Do what ye have to. I need my wings,” grumbled Bog, clenching his fists.

“Hold still.” Griselda gripped the wing with the worst damage with one hand, slicing into a crushed segment, reopening the injury. He shuddered as the pain ripped through his back, the nerves severed, then rejoined beneath a skillful hand, her healing energy soothing the pain within seconds. “This will take some time, Bog.”

“I need my wings,” repeated Bog through clenched teeth, willing himself to remain still. “Get on with it. I’m fine. I’ll leave as soon as yer done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is having a good day! I have another chapter for you and hope you enjoyed it.  
> Bog with kids is seriously my favorite thing... next to Bog with Marianne. :D


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unwelcome guests arrive to make life complicated.

“Would you like more?” Dawn motioned to the lasagna on the table. It was made with chicken and sliced zucchini instead of beef and noodles.

“Careful, so much strange food might make you ill,” cautioned Marianne, digging her fork into her plate.

“Fairies have strong stomachs,” said Basil, digging the scoop into the dish and plopping another pile of cheesy goodness onto his plate. “We have to be able to eat just about anything if necessary.”

“That’s good,” mumbled Marianne, eyeing her sister, who sat next to the fairy, smiling at him in a way she knew all too well. Dawn liked Basil. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, she touched him frequently, and he responded with startled looks each time. 

Either Basil didn’t expect the attention, didn’t want it or didn’t receive a lot of this kind of touching in his colony. Marianne hadn’t asked him anything about his life because she didn’t want to know. It was none of her business. Honestly, she didn’t want to know anything else about fairies.

The sound of a car pulling into the front of the house interrupted dinner, and Dawn jumped out of her chair so fast, she almost knocked it to the floor. “I bet that’s Sunny!”

“I hope it is,” sighed Marianne.

“Who’s Sunny?” Basil tilted his head toward the door warily as Dawn opened it and ran outside.

“A friend.” Marianne took another bite of her dinner, then got up to follow her sister. “Hopefully, he’s come with good news.”

Marianne stepped out onto the porch to see her sister with a bag of groceries, heading to the house. Sunny stood behind his car, unloading several bags.

“Hey, Marianne!” Sunny greeted, walking to the house. “I brought another week’s worth of groceries.”

“So we’re staying another week?” Marianne groaned as he walked by.

“Probably a month,” replied Sunny, “but I have good news.” He stopped walking as Basil stepped through the door. The look on Sunny’s face was one of complete surprise. “That’s not Bog.”

“No, this is Basil.” Marianne stepped forward to do quick introductions. “Bog went home earlier today on a crow, and Basil has volunteered to watch us. His colony is in the nearby woods somewhere.”

“There’s a colony in the woods?” Sunny’s face contorted, wrinkles wrapping over his forehead. “I didn’t know that.”

“There are three colonies,” muttered Basil.

“I didn’t know,” Sunny repeated, looking sad about the news. “I came up here so many times over the summer and never…” He sighed, lowering his head. “So you’re a fairy?”

Basil nodded. Marianne grumbled, stepping off the porch to go to Sunny’s car and retrieve another bag of groceries. The fairies could get to know each other without her help. Things needed to be done, and she had to keep her thoughts off of Bog.

Together, they unloaded the car in minutes, and Marianne began putting things away while Sunny, Dawn, and Basil talked in the living room. She ignored their conversation, not wanting to hear anything about fairies, but she did hear the giggling coming from her sister as she announced her news.

“Guess what, Sunny! I’m a fairy!” Dawn’s voice carried throughout the house, and Marianne was sure she heard Sunny’s gasp. “I’m a Dragon-fairy!”

“Dragonfae,” said Basil, correcting her.

“Dragonfae! Like Bog!” Dawn laughed, and Marianne looked up. She could see Sunny’s face, and he stared at her like she had just sprouted wings. “So, how do you get wings when you’re this size?”

“I would like to know that as well.” Basil leaned closer to Sunny. “She said you’re a fairy too, but not what kind.”

“I’m a Soleil, a Papillon,” said Sunny, eyeing Basil.

“I’ve heard of those. Not very common around here.” Basil nodded as he spoke.

“How many different kinds of fairies are there?” Dawn began asking questions. “Basil, what kind of fairy are you?”

“I’m a Soleil as well, a Solis.” Basil smiled, more than happy to answer the question. “Soleil means we are fairies who require sunlight. Our wings are rounded and simple.”

“Papillon have kind of,” Sunny spoke up, “frilly folding wings. More like a bird’s wing.”

“Can I see?” Dawn’s eyes glistened as she stood in front of Sunny, clasping her hands.”

“Maybe, not today.” Sunny fretted, and Marianne did not miss the way he nervously shifted from one foot to another. 

“I want to see your wings, and I want you to teach me how to fly!” Dawn’s excitement grew with every word as she twirled in a circle.

“Hey, Sunny, are you hungry?” Marianne decided to save her friend and called out to him, motioning to the table and lasagna.

“Starving!’ Sunny rushed into the kitchen area to grab a plate and fork.

Marianne smiled, returning to her plate, which was not nearly as warm as it had been before Sunny arrived, but still tasty. Basil and Dawn sat in their chairs to finish dinner and began talking about fairy things again, explaining to Dawn how each fairy race was different. Her thoughts drifted to Bog, and she began pushing the food around on the plate, her appetite gone.

If he was everything she wanted, he would return. It was that simple. Bog would return.

She hoped.

#

Sunny stared inside the refrigerator after everything had been put away. The vacuum-packed brisket was still inside, taking up a massive mount of space inside. He pulled it out and gathered the supplies needed to marinade it as Marianne, Dawn, and Basil sat in the living room. Marianne sat in a recliner across from Dawn and Basil, who sat close together on the couch. Sunny tried to ignore what he saw, but it was obvious.

Dawn was a fairy, and so was Basil. Everyone in the safe house was a fairy, and Basil was good looking and charming. He probably had beautiful wings too. Sunny sighed, working on the marinade. This was a sad turn of events. Because he never tried, he would never get a chance. 

It didn’t take long for Sunny to get the massive chunk of beef into the marinading container and placed it back in the fridge. It was still light, but evening was falling fast, the sun dipping below the trees. He decided to go outside and remove the barbecue grill from the little shed attached to the house. Tomorrow would be an awful day, spent hanging around the house with his friends and a strange fairy man who kept looking at Dawn with an increasingly adoring expression on his face.

Sunny grumbled, unlocking the door and stepping inside. He had no right to Dawn’s attention, and he was not a stalker fan. No, he cared deeply about her and had just been too shy to do anything about it. Fear of reaching out and having her reject him, pushing him entirely out of her life, had kept his mouth shut. His hands were on the long, barrel grill when he realized it might not be a good idea to bring it out right now. 

He had asked about the broken window at the front of the house and told about the bear. Bears might destroy the grill out of curiosity. It was always well cleaned after each use, but still. Sunny sighed and backed up, preparing to go. 

“Dormi.” A cold current ran through Sunny’s body as his eyes popped wide. Darkness enveloped him as he crashed to the ground at the feet of the hunter. “That’s one out of the way.” She stepped aside as a pair of men walked past her. They kneeled with rope in hand, one tying Sunny’s hands together behind his back, the other binding his feet.

“That leaves one man, two women, and our Dragonfae quarry,” mused the woman, watching them. “He should be out for an hour or so. We’ll leave him locked in here for the time being.”

“Think the others will come out looking for him, Angela?” One of the men inquired.

“Wouldn’t you, Brett?” She smiled, stepping aside again as they left Sunny on his stomach in the dirt.

“I’d bring a weapon,” shrugged one of the men. “Wouldn’t you, Ethan?”

“Yes,” the other agreed with a chuckle. “But I bet they won’t.” They walked outside the little shed, closing the door behind them. 

#

“Where’s Sunny?” Marianne came down the stairs heavier than she intended. The house was small, and when she went upstairs, she noticed Sunny wasn’t anywhere in sight. She went upstairs to get ready for bed, and the door to his bedroom was open, but he was not inside.

“I think he went outside,” replied Basil with a yawn, motioning to the back door. “A while ago.”

Marianne walked to the back door, feeling strange electricity in the air. Something was wrong. Whatever it was, it made her skin crawl. Basil got up and walked after her, and Dawn, not wanting to be left alone, followed them. 

“He’s probably just outside enjoying the night air.” Marianne’s hand landed on the doorknob—and she hesitated. It came like a warning, a spark shooting through her fingertips. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping through it before she could talk herself out of it.

Nothing.

The porch light and the set of lights that hung near the tree line lit up the backyard. Nothing moved, and she turned to one side, calling out, “Sunny? Sunny, where are you?”

It was eerily silent outside, and she felt Basil walk up right behind her, bumping into her shoulder. He began breathing quickly, then turned and grabbed her around the shoulders, pulling her back into the house.

“Let me go!” Marianne shrieked, flailing her arms and trying to slip free. She went limp and fell to her knees, smacking into the hardwood deck, but she was on her feet a moment later. “What do you think you’re doing!” she screamed more than asked, backpedaling to one side of the deck.

Basil opened his mouth, reaching for her, his face pale in the artificial lighting. Then he rushed back, and Marianne realized she wasn’t alone. She spun around in time to look into a face she had seen before and recognized the woman immediately.

“Dormi.” Angela grabbed Marianne’s arm, and she went down immediately, passing out and slamming into the deck with an ominous thud. “That’s two. Now we have three left. I want her separated from the others. Tie her up and put her in the van for now. I think the Dragonfae we’re after is fond of her.”

#

Dawn stared at Basil as he slammed the door closed and flipped the lock. He turned to her, advancing with his arms out. “We need to leave, Dawn.”

“But Marianne,” Dawn shivered, stepping away from him. “You left her outside!”

“There are humans outside,” said Basil, glancing at the door. “We need to leave immediately!”

“What do you mean?” Dawn squeaked as he grabbed her arm, pulling her to the stairs. “We can’t leave! Sunny and Marianne are outside!”

“Yes, and we can’t do anything if we are stuck in here. They will corner us, and then what? Do you have any kind of weapon?” Basil spoke fast as they mounted the stairs. “This is the plan. We are going to turn into small fairies, fly out an upper window, go into the forest and get help, then return in our full-sized forms using the fairy circle!”

“But I can’t fly!” protested Dawn, throwing her hands in front of her, trying to pull away from Basil as they reached the top of the stairs.

Basil stopped, turning to grip her by her upper arms, forcing her to face him. He met her eyes, his light brown eyes blazing with intensity. “Dawn, you can fly. It is all instinct, and Dragonfae are probably the most agile and quick fairies there are. You can fly. Trust me. I have a plan.”

Dawn’s lower lip quivered, and she nodded slowly in agreement. “How do I become small?”

“The same way you fly.” Basil turned away from her, walking into the bedroom Dawn shared with Marianne. “Instinct. You want to be small; you will become small, but—”

“Wait, why do I want to be small?” Dawn stared at Basil, having another idea in mind. She grinned at him. “I can be a big fairy!”

“No, Dawn,” Basil gestured to the window, then groaned as she changed.

“Oh! Oh!” Dawn stared at her hands, flexing her long fingers and admiring the long curved nails. She looked at herself as Basil pulled the window open further. “I did it!”

“Yes, you did. Now let’s see if you can still fit through the window.” Basil pointed at the window, looking at her dubiously. “I wanted us to have a little more time for you to test your wings!”

“You said it was all instinct!” Dawn frowned, heading for the window. Her shoulders were broader, but not too much. The problem was the smooth shoulder pauldrons. Basil stood behind her, watching her try to wedge herself through the opening, and sighed.

“Fold your wings, Dawn.” Basil turned his head, hearing knocking coming from downstairs.

“We have your friends. You should come outside and surrender. There’s nowhere to go.” The Hunter’s voice came from the opposite side of the house. “We have every route blocked.”

“What do we have here.” A voice came from outside the window, and Dawn suddenly began trying to get back inside. Basil grabbed her by the shoulders and jerked her back as a pair of hands reached for her.

“Every exit,” said Angela louder, hitting the door downstairs with her hand.

“No, no, no,” Basil held Dawn as she cringed against him, the man outside on the roof peering through the open window at them.

“Another Dragonfae.” He chuckled and stood back, examining the window. With the heavy black gear on, he couldn’t get through the opening. 

“Now, you see why I wanted to do this a different way,” whispered Basil, pulling Dawn out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to get wild! Woohooo!!  
> Enjoy! Have a good Monday!


	26. Facing the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Fairy Hunters in control, Marianne is forced to face the facts about herself.

“Wha—” Sunny groaned—”what?” His eyelids fluttered as he stirred. “Bleah.” He grimaced, spitting out a layer of dirt that had been in his mouth. Pain shot through his arms, and he whimpered, realizing his hands were tied. And that wasn’t all.

“Hey, you.” A trio of tiny fairies stood in front of him. A tall, slender male Naiad with white hair, dark green skin, and gleaming green eyes set in a white face stood near his face. He wore leather armor and had a curved scimitar held in front of him. Next to him was a female Dragonfae, ebony-skinned with bright purple wings flared behind her. Her green eyes locked on Sunny’s, a frown fixed on her bi-colored face. One side was white, the other grey. Straight black hair framed her face, and in her hand, she held a long sword. The last fairy was considerably younger, a female Naiad identical to the first Naiad. She wore the same armor as the other two and, like them, held a weapon—a short sword.

“Where’s our da?” snarled the Dragonfae girl.

“Yes, where is Daddy!” The little Naiad waved her sword, her face contorting with almost comical anger.

“I don’t know!” Sunny squirmed, trying to work a way out of the ropes. “Don’t you see that I am tied up? Who are you anyway?”

“We’re here for Bog.” The big Naiad flew over Sunny, and the other two followed, hovering over him with their weapons ready. “I’m Puck, and this is my sister, Rey,” he motioned to the Dragonfae girl, “and my little sister Juniper.” The Naiad girl growled, waving her sword.

“Where is he?” demanded Rey, swooping toward Sunny’s face.

“I don’t know!” Sunny squeezed his eyes shut, afraid he would feel that sword stuck in his eye. Nothing happened, and he opened one eye, peering up at the fairies, who were now arguing with each other. “I was told he left on a crow and went home earlier today.”

All three of the fairies groaned.

“Look, I’m a fairy too!” Sunny sighed. “And I need your help. That woman that was in here is a fairy hunter. She’s after Bog and the people in the house. They’re all fairies. If she finds out, she’s going to trap them all and put them into little cages for humans to keep as pets.”

Rey said something to Puck, and the boy shrugged, then the younger girl sheathed her sword so she could put both of her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at the other two. “How do we know you’re not lying?” The Dragonfae girl growled at him, baring her fangs.

Sunny groaned. “I can’t waste energy showing you, but I need help, and so do they! They’re your father’s friends! You need to help them!”

The trio of fairies began talking again, arguing loudly. Rey’s wings vibrated with a warning rattle, and the two Naiads began growling and hissing as they spoke.

“Please, just cut the ropes, and I’ll do it myself! Maybe get the door opened? I bet they locked it.” Sunny squirmed again, rolling onto his side. “How did you get here anyway?”

“We rode in your car.” Rey landed on Sunny’s shoulder. Puck vanished behind his back, and he felt a tugging sensation on the ropes. Juniper flew to his feet and began hacking at the rope around his legs. “When you visited your parents. We hitched a ride on their vehicle to their house and listened to them. We know all about you. So when you showed up, we knew we had to get in your car and go with you.”

“Great,” said Sunny. “Stowaways.”

“Will you take us home?” Rey still held her sword as she asked. “If we help you?”

“Yes, it’s what I do.” Sunny smiled, the ropes rapidly loosening. “I take fairies home.”

The fairies fled when the rope fell free. Sunny sighed, rubbing his hands over the red lines on his wrists. “I told you the truth. I’m a fairy.”

“You don’t have wings, and we don’t get big like humans,” said Rey, fluttering into the air a few feet away.

“Actually, you can.” Sunny smiled, pulling his legs up and pulling off the last few coils of rope. There was a commotion outside, and the sound of people running by talking filled the air. “Something’s going on. Oh no, I bet they’re moving in on taking out the others.”

Sunny rose to his feet, stumbling as pain seared through his calves. He smacked into a wall and whined, then leaned his shoulder against the wood, holding completely still. 

“I’m going to look outside.” Puck twitched his wings and flew through a gap in the wall. He returned far too have fast to have seen much. “Two humans at the back door, talking and hitting the door. They caught one of the other humans.”

“I’m going to tell you a secret, and Bog is going to be so mad for telling you,” Sunny whimpered. All three fairies flew up to him, hovering in excited circles, waiting.

Basil and Dawn ran back downstairs, heading to the kitchen. “Think small,” he whispered, heading to the door.

“Why are we going to them?” Dawn squeaked, stumbling after him. 

“They won’t expect it.” Basil frowned.

“I don’t want to do this,” protested Dawn. “There has to be a better way out.” 

“You can’t stay in there forever. We will eventually come inside. It is inevitable.” A loud knock came from the back door, and Basil grimaced, looking at Dawn. “I don’t know what to do. This isn’t something that happens to us.” An unfamiliar voice shouted, followed by screeches and more shouting. Heavy boots thudded as their owners raced down the deck.

“Whoever’s inside! Run!” Sunny’s voice broke above the sounds, close to the door.

“That’s Sunny!” Dawn glanced at Basil. He hesitated, then nodded, running to the door with Dawn. The door opened to darkness, shouting coming from nearby.

“Let’s do what he said!” Basil squinted, grabbing Dawn’s shoulder, then he changed, his body shifting into his fairy form, which was the same as his human body except now he wore the armor he had on earlier, and his green and black wings unfolded in a burst of light. “Fly, Dawn!”

“I don’t know how!” Her wings fluttered in a blur, lifting her a couple of inches off the ground. She tilted and went forward, very slowly.

“We don’t have time for this!” Basil huffed, reaching for Dawn, only to be pushed back as Sunny flew up to them, grabbing Dawn around the waist, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.

“I said to run! Everyone, retreat!” Sunny spread his wings, and Dawn stared over his shoulder as she wrapped her arm around his neck, her wings trembling. Gunshots rang out, followed by shouts. She couldn’t see who the three Hunters were engaging.

Basil led the way, motioning for Sunny to follow him. “We don’t want to fly outside our territory. If we do, we will be attacked.”

“So we’re surrounded?” Sunny said, glancing back. “I hope those kids are okay.”

“Kids?” Dawn asked, started by the comment. “There are kids here.”

“Bog’s kids,” sighed Sunny.

“Bog has kids?” gasped Dawn, tightening her hold on Sunny. “He didn’t say anything about having kids.”

“There are three of them.” Sunny turned his attention to fleeing. “Where are we going, Basil?”

“Fairy circle.” Basil tilted his wings, heading to the clearing. “We don’t need to waste energy changing.” 

A crashing sound made both fairies falter in their flight. Sunny almost slammed into a tree trunk but corrected just in time. Dawn yelped. 

“Oops, can’t believe I hit that.” Rey joined them, followed by Puck and Juniper. The Dragonfae girl flew with one eye open, a long gash crossing her forehead. Blood dripped from the gash, but it appeared to be a surface wound.

“I’m hit,” panted Puck, his wings wavering as they flew. “In the chest.” He held a hand over his right chest plate, and Dawn frowned, unable to clearly see him.

“We’ll check everyone when we get to the fairy circle,” said Basil, glancing back. “It’s not far, but we need to hide and not waste energy.”

Dawn looked over the fairies, and then her eyes settled on Sunny. Her eyes worked well in the dark, and she saw he wore armor plating, very much like Basil’s. It was bronze with gold edging and had natural contours like it had been made out of a fall leaf. She could see veins in the design. Once again, she looked at his wings, comparing them to the others. Basil had large, broad wings. The Dragonfae and Naiads had dragonfly style wings. 

Sunny’s wings were broad, but he flapped them more like a bird, occasionally gliding. He pulled up suddenly, and Dawn looked ahead to see they were entering a clearing, and someone stood there, staring at them. Someone with an annoyed look on his narrow face, his lower jaw jutting forward as he ground his teeth together.

“Bog!” Dawn shouted excitedly as Sunny landed and put her down. 

The three fairy kids swarmed forward ahead of them, running to Bog, shouting, “Father!”

Bog’s expression did not change as the trio leaped on him, grabbing for him and talking at once. Sunny held back with Basil as Dawn ran toward him, her wings upraised and humming on their own accord.

“What is going on? I heard gunshots and fighting,” said Bog, reaching out for Rey first, wiping his thumb over the gash in her forehead.

“I ran into a branch,” Rey laughed, trying to get closer as Bog fended her back with his arm. He did nothing to Juniper, who had her arms wrapped around his waist. Bog’s attention went to Puck, who was wheezing, his hand over his chest.

“Da.” Puck moved his hand, showing off a hole in his leather plating.

Bog scowled, reaching out immediately to wave his fingers in front of the hole. A small lump of lead popped out, and Bog caught it. He stared at it for a moment, then at Puck, who was no longer breathing as hard. “Yer fine, Puck. See, no blood.” Bog held the lump up in the moonlight. “Yer armor did its job.”

“We’re so glad we found you!” Rey spoke up as Bog took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Puck, hugging the pale Naiad against him. “Now we can get out of here and go home!”

Bog frowned, looking over the group, one arm still around Puck. “Where’s Marianne?”

Marianne woke to the sound of a woman’s voice, a groggy veil lifting off her. She opened her eyes to see Angela’s face, her brown eyes glinting as she glared at her. Marianne lifted her chin, glaring back. “Untie me, let us go, and leave.”

“You’re hardly in any position to make demands.” Angela laughed, running a hand through her curly black hair. “Dragonfae.”

“I am not a fairy,” snarled Marianne, recoiling at the word. “I’ve lived my entire life as a human, and I’m not changing that now.”

“It’s in your blood.” The Fairy Hunter smirked at her, and the cold touch of metal against her cheek warned Marianne to hold still. It was a knife of some kind, what kind didn’t matter. “It appears everyone here was a fairy, so it makes sense—so are you.”

“No,” whispered Marianne. “I’m not a fairy.”

“Let me tell you something about fairies who masquerade as humans,” Angela began, sliding her blade down Marianne’s cheek, flat side down. “A drop of fairy blood in a family means you are a fairy. Even if you don’t know it, you will seek out other fairies, and you know them when you get close. That’s why fairies don’t dominate the human world. A few here or there get with a human, but most, most have children with other fairies, unknowingly.”

Marianne swallowed, listening in silence as Angela continued, “So, since you do not give off a strong fae aura, you have never changed. But let me tell you about your heritage. Dragonfae are liars. They are vicious monsters who at one time preyed upon humans. They killed and ate children as offerings. Women were given to them, and they raped them, tortured them, and sent them home as ravening lunatics. This is you.”

“No, no, it’s not,” said Marianne, her eyes settling on Angela’s. “And that’s not my sister or Bog.”

“How do you know?” snorted Angela. “Because he told you? He just wants to breed with you. They all lie.”

“You’re wrong. Bog defended us from a bear and almost died from it.” Marianne worked hard to keep her emotions down as they roiled and burned. “He’s a good man.”

“He’s not a man.” Angela rolled her eyes. “He’s a monster, and so are you. Your Dragonfae is a king. I could feel it, but until you change the first time, I can’t detect you as well. I admit I’m curious to see if you are a queen or a high born.”

Marianne swallowed, realizing what might be coming next. “What do you want?”

“I want you to scream,” replied Angela, bringing her blade in front of her face so she could see it. “Now, you can just scream when I tell you to, or I will begin carving my initials into your face. Your choice.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Angela laughed, turning the blade to make it shine in the moonlight. “This isn’t some movie where the bad guy tells you everything, Marianne. My only interest is making you scream, and your voice has to carry. “Dezvălui.”

Marianne gasped as the word was spoken, her entire body burning as the change flared through her. Her tan skin darkened to a dusky purple with a pink sheen over her back, upper arms, and legs. Her face lightened to a pearly white with purple streaks, and her skin tightened as her facial structure changed. Marianne’s mouth ached as her jaw shifted. Long iridescent purple wings unfolded behind her, free of the ropes.

It took seconds but left her unable to breathe, the ropes binding her tightening. She hadn’t noticed there was something around her neck until it began cutting off her air.

“Ahh, there you are, Dragonfae. Beautiful.” Angela grinned, lowering the knife and leaning forward to loosen the strap around Marianne’s neck. “Interesting how your sister is all shades of gold, and you are much darker. It means both of your parents are fairies, different colors coming from your mother and father, most likely Dragonfae. You look pure, and you have the aura of a queen.”

Marianne grimaced, looking down at herself and the body she was now unfamiliar with. It was bad enough she was tied up and a captive, but she was also naked. She lifted her head and glowered at Angela, “I’m not a damsel in distress, and I’m not going to let you use me. Bog isn’t even here. He left earlier today because we had a fight. So just pack me up and take me. I’m sure my sister and the others are long gone.”

“Maybe.” Angela shrugged. “Most likely not. We’ll begin as soon as everyone is set up.” The Hunter rose and, chuckling, stepped away from Marianne, vanishing behind one of the vans parked nearby.

Marianne grumbled, for the first time getting a good look at where she was. They had dragged her to the middle of the well lit front yard, tying her back to a pole. She could feel her wrists bound around it. The front door of the house was open, and she could see through it to the open back door. Two men were standing by the back door. Two more were on the roof.

Two black vans were parked in a V behind her, and two more men stood by them. She heard voices coming from the van and assumed there were a few more inside. Each man carried a rifle with a night scope. Marianne’s wings twitched as she hoped Sunny and Basil got her sister to safety. She wouldn’t depend on them to rescue her--she would figure out something on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bogs kids are great. :D I love writing Bog with kids, because he would have trained them extensively. 
> 
> Comments are always loved!


	27. Escape!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne plots to escape, but the results may be worse than capture!

Bog’s wings rattled even as he tried to still them. He was furious and becoming angrier with each word he heard. Basil had disobeyed his request to stay away from Dawn and Marianne. Fairy Hunters tracked Sunny to their hideout. Rey, his rash daughter, had talked her equally rash brother, Puck, into jumping onto a human vehicle. Their little sister snuck after them because, of course, she would not be left behind. If Basil had not been with Dawn and Marianne, she would be sitting next to her sister, most likely, tied up as bait. If his children had not done what they did, Sunny, Dawn, and Basil would be in the same situation.

“So ye couldn’t come up with a different plan that didn’t involve informing my kids how to cross over full-sized because now they’re going to let it slip to the entire colony.” Bog growled as he spoke, barely able to contain himself as he glared at Sunny. He looked down at Juniper. The girl hadn’t left his side, curled up against him, held securely in his arms.

Everyone was seated, picking out rocks or logs to sit in a circle. Bog sat on a massive old log, and Rey sat on one side, leaning against him. The Dragonfae girl had a few scratches on her, a gash in her forehead from hitting a branch, and a rounded nick in her left ear that was still bleeding. Puck leaned on Bog’s other side, a hole in his leather armor that had somehow not made it all the way through. The kid had a natural shielding ability, which likely saved him from far worse injury. He was also scratched up.

His children had been hurt.

The woman he cared about was in a situation that was a hundred percent his doing.

There were two colonies of hostile fairies nearby, and he had limited backup and resources. “Basil, if ye want my hep, yer people need to be willing to sacrifice themselves for me and mine. Sunny, I need yer help to get Basil’s colony out of this place and my own to some place else.”

“That’s my job,” said Sunny eagerly. “I know of a place, but it will be far away, in the south.”

Basil rose, eyes closed and mouth pursed tight. He stood for a moment, his wings shaking behind him. “It is our only choice.” Basil bowed to Bog, then rose and headed to the fairy circle. “I will get as many as I can to assist you, King Bog.”

“How are we going to get Marianne?” Dawn tapped her fingers together nervously.

“We are not getting Marianne,” said Bog, his voice dropping to a kinder tone. “Me, Sunny, Basil, and whatever other fairies join us are going to get Marianne.” None of this was Dawn’s fault. She had to remain behind, with his kids, safe and out of harm’s way. 

“I want to help.” Dawn gave him the saddest look she could manage.

Bog rolled his eyes in response, “I am raising five kids, Dawn. Do ye really think that works on me?” He looked at Juniper again. “Juniper, baby, Juni? Are ye awake?” He spoke gently, and she didn’t respond.

“When I left, several hawks flew at my crows. They stopped when they saw I was Dragonfae.” Bog spoke fast, glancing at his children. “Ye do not tell this to Juni. I was met by owls when I returned. They were waiting for me, which means those other colonies have communicated. This place is not safe, and ye must be on-guard.”

“Yes, Da,” said both Puck and Rey at once. 

“I want you two to stay with Juni and Dawn. Ye will stay this size for now.” Bog frowned. “I mean it. None of ye are to try to help unless I tell ye to. Keep Juni here.” He looked at Dawn, who sat with her head down, staring at her fingers as she picked at her nails. “Rey, why don’t ye take Dawn and show her how to use her wings.”

“It’s all instinct,” said Rey, bouncing to her feet.

“Everyone keeps saying that,” groaned Dawn getting up. “But I haven’t flown yet!”

“You will,” laughed Rey.

“Why does that sound like a threat?” Dawn followed Rey into the clearing.

Bog turned his attention back to Sunny, noting how he watched Dawn as she walked away. “Ye have a plan for them? Their parents? Their entire extended family?”

Sunny sighed, looking at Bog. “You know, huh?”

“That if Fairy Hunters locate one a human who is a fairy, they will track down their entire family line?” Bog snorted. “Yes.”

“I don’t know how to break it to them that they’re never going home.” Sunny picked up a stick and began poking at leaves on the ground. “How do you tell someone something like that?”

Bog fixed Sunny with a stern glare. “Ye tell them it’s better than living life in a cage, Sunny.” 

A snarling screech echoed through the trees making Bog’s skin crawl. He snapped upright, listening. The sound came again, fierce and angry. It touched off a growl that rose from his chest into his throat, evolving into a snarl.

“Marianne.” He gently moved Juniper into Puck’s arms and rose, every part of him on edge. His wings flared out behind him, twitching violently.

“We have to wait,” hissed Sunny, motioning for Bog to sit down. “We can’t just rush in there. It’s a trap.”

“I know it’s a trap,” snapped Bog. He lowered his wings, his entire body heaving with a great sigh. 

“You have it bad,” Sunny said sympathetically.

“What? What do I have?” Bog asked in concern, not getting what Sunny was observing.

“You love her.” Sunny smiled.

“I barely know her, and she doesn’t want to be with me,”’ growled Bog, glancing over his shoulder at Puck. The Naiad stared at him uncertainly, cradling his sleeping sister in his arms. “Marianne does not want anything to do with fairies, including herself as a fairy.”

The snarling sound came again, and Bog began pacing in a crouch, worrying his hands. He desperately wanted to answer her call, but he needed more fairies with him. His abilities were powerful, but they would wear him out fast. Bog had to be sure he had backup in case anything went wrong because with his track record lately, something would go wrong.

#

Marianne growled, a sound which rose from her chest and into her throat with frightening intensity. It was not a sound she could have made as a human and, after the first startled reaction, found she liked the way it felt. She growled at the Hunters if they came too close, wanting them to keep their distance.

The thought occurred to her that if Bog had powers, like that electrical impulse thing he did, then she might have some as well. If she did, what were they, and how would she access them? Marianne began going through a list of every single superpower she could think of while maneuvering her hands so she could get at the ropes. Her wings were free, and even though she didn’t know how to use them, she began flexing them until she felt them fall over her hands.

To the unknowing eye, she was flopping them around aimlessly, but in reality, the idea came she could hide her hands and the work she was doing on the ropes. They began unraveling, the fibers brushing against her fingers as her ragged nails worked at them. Even though she couldn’t see her hands, she knew they would look like Bog’s, with curved, sharp nails that were thick enough to cut.

The Hunters were unaware when the rope snapped. She held her hands for a moment, deciding on the sequence she needed to free herself. The leather collar around her neck led to a chain that wrapped around the pole. The leather would come free easily. The bindings on her ankles, on the other hand, would not. 

Marianne took a deep breath, wriggling her ankles, realizing that her feet were shaped differently, narrower. The ropes had not been tied as tight, and now they were loose enough that her movements caused them to loosen further. She smiled, running her tongue over her upper canines, noting they were considerably longer and pointier than they had been.

She waited, preparing her wings, fluttering them, getting a feel for them. The moment she was free, she had to fly. They would not be able to follow her. She took a few slow breaths, reading herself, then made her move when something drew the Hunters’ attention away from her.

Marianne shook the ropes free of her wrists, grabbed the collar, and pulled as hard as she could with a low snarl. It gave way like it was made of paper beneath her clawed fingers. Then she was on her ankles, tearing at the ropes, her wings flared behind her. 

“Stop her!” Angela shrieked suddenly, charging out of one of the vans. Marianne jumped to her feet, her legs still caught in the rope, but it didn’t matter. Her wings lifted her, and she flew straight up, as free as she could be. And Marianne laughed, feeling the first shot of adrenaline as she had escaped.

A hand grabbed her ankle, and Marianne looked down in shock to see Angela’s hand clasping her like iron. Large lime green wings spread out behind her, beating strongly as she pulled on Marianne’s foot. “Dormi!” the hunter yelled, but for some reason, the word didn’t have any effect on Marianne.

“Let go!” Marianne rolled, losing altitude as she kicked at Angela. Another hand grabbed her arm, and Marianne looked to see one of the other men gripping her, and there was another on her other side, their brown and tan wings beating the air furiously as they grappled for her.

Marianne screeched in defiance, clawing and biting at them. She would not give in without a fight, not when freedom had been so close. A blast of wind ripped through them, uncontrolled as it whirled Marianne higher into the air, tearing her free from the Hunters.

Her wings beat in an uncoordinated rhythm as she attempted to correct her position and fly into the woods. She knew she didn’t have much time and chose a random direction. Angela growled, coming up behind her again, shouting, “dezvăluie mic!” as she again caught Marianne’s leg. She snarled, the screech reaching an ear-piercing level before cutting off. The burning sensation struck Marianne again, and everything went black.

She groaned, coming to a moment later, held tight in Angela’s hand, a tiny version of herself as a Dragonfae. Marianne immediately began fighting, squirming and biting as Angela’s hand tightened around her. They were still in the air but drifting closer to the ground, Angela smiling at Marianne.

“You thought you would get away that easily? I’m sure your friends will be here any moment.” Angela leered at Marianne, who snarled back. “Ow!” Angela whirled around, sweeping her wings in a wide arc, then she dropped to the ground, batting at something in the darkness.

Marianne gasped as she saw what it was, or rather who. The air filled with the sound of rattling wings and fierce war cries as a swarm of Dragonfae appeared out of the darkness and converged on Angela. Half a dozen went for the hand holding Marianne, wielding swords and axes. A pair of them landed beside Marianne, grabbing for her shoulders as the others attacked Angela’s hand and arm, drawing large gashes in her skin.

Angela shrieked and let Marianne go, needing both hands to defend herself from the onslaught. “You’re going to regret attacking me! I will hunt every single one of you down!” Angela screamed at them, smacking a few into the air as the other two Hunters moved in to help her. Their guns were useless in this kind of fight, and they only managed to stir the swarm up further until they retreated as fast as they had arrived, vanishing into the dark forest nearby.

The pair of Dragonfae carrying Marianne transferred her into the arms of another, who took off ahead of the swarm. She was so stunned--she wasn’t sure what to do. There were three colonies. Marianne began breathing fast. Three colonies. Basil’s colony and the other two colonies that threatened them. The Dragonfae colony was the most dangerous of them, and now they had her, carrying her off into the forest.

Marianne groaned, unsure if this was any better or worse than her prior captor. She looked at them with wide eyes. Most of them were dusty brown with dark brown mottling and black wings. Each one looked a lot like Bog in build, with a scattering of heavier set fairies positioned around them. They wore similar armor, and all had a determined look on their face.

These were not fairies to mess with, and Marianne folded her arms over her chest, fully aware that she was still naked. So much for escape or rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhoh.. big trouble for Marianne!


	28. Orion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dragonfae Bog was warned about have Mraianne and are taking her to their cliffside nest. Bog fears the worst.

Despite how dark it was, Marianne could see everything around her. Her vision adjusted to the night, opening the world up before her. She kept her eyes on the forest around them, avoiding looking at the Dragonfae that carried her. 

When they crossed over a ravine plunging into the darkness, Marianne cringed, and the Dragonfae shifted, making sure his hold was firm. “Are you afraid of heights?” he spoke, asking with amusement.

“I can’t fly very well,” replied Marianne, glancing at him.

He smiled as he spoke, “Yes, I am aware of that. I saw your sad attempt.” 

“Great.” Marianne rolled her eyes and fixed him with a stern look. “Can you take me back to the forest around where you found me? My friends are going to get hurt trying to rescue me, and I’m not even there. My sister is there.”

“No.” The Dragonfae shook his head, frowning. “You were in danger. They will have to fend for themselves. We are not allowed to interact with the Everliving Pine Colony.”

“I was told you interacted with them a lot,” scowled Marianne. “Invading them. Stealing from them. Taking their children.”

The Dragonfae winced, readjusting his grip, tightening his clawed hands around her. “You have one side of the story, outsider—a side which unfortunately has seen the worst of us. As for returning you, we were sent to watch because a rival king has entered the forest and has upset the balance. My king sent us out to see if he is a friend or foe. When we observed your capture, I decided we should intervene.”

“Bog isn’t even here,” sighed Marianne, knitting her brows in frustration. “And he had no intentions of staying.”

“There are four of you,” said the Dragonfae. “One who is a fairy we’ve never seen before, you and your sister, who are both Dragonfae, and the other we did not see. You are of royal or high born blood. We have a sense for these things.”

“I am not!” Marianne threw her head back and groaned in frustration. “I was raised in the human world! So were my parents and their parents. Nobody said anything about us being fairies.”

“It happens.” The Dragonfae shrugged, still gripping her tight. “We need answers before we proceed. There was also another younger Dragonfae and two Naiads.”

“I don’t know anything about them,” she trailed off, realizing he probably had a name. “I’m Marianne.”

“Orion,” said the Dragonfae, nodding to her. “You must believe we are awful from what you have heard. As I said, it’s one side of a story.” He looked ahead and dropped suddenly. Marianne turned to see they were over another ravine, flying toward a cliffside. 

Glowing orbs revealed openings in the rock, and Marianne stared ahead in dread as they flew inside and through a tunnel. Orion did not slow down, and she glanced over his shoulder to see the other fairies following. When he landed, he didn’t put her on her feet, instead of carrying her down a narrower hall.

There were few fairies in the hall, but Marianne could hear the sounds of walking and papery wings fluttering every now and then when they passed an open doorway. Then she heard someone singing in a language she did not understand.

A few Dragonfae bowed in passing, and Marianne glanced at Orion, who nodded to them and said nothing. After a few minutes of walking, the air became more humid and thick. The cool of the tunnels was replaced by warmth, and they stepped into what appeared to be a public bath.

Several Dragonfae rushed up to Orion, and he spoke to them in another language. Two left to do whatever it was he asked, and a third remained behind. “We have several private alcoves,” the remaining Dragonfae said with a smile, motioning to arched doorways to their left.

Marianne cringed, unsure of what was about to happen as Orion carried her through one of the arches. There was a small natural pool inside, lit with glowing blue lights placed inside it. Steam rose from the water, and she could feel the warmth as Orion set her on her feet. He turned away, facing the door.

“Luna is bringing you things to wash with and will tend to any injuries you have.” Orion glanced at her over his shoulder. “I will be outside when you are done.”

Marianne nodded, her arms folded firmly over her chest. There wasn’t anything to do but cooperate. She stepped toward the water and, for the first time, got a good look at her feet and body. It was strange to be in a body that was hers but completely unfamiliar. She continually tasted blood from where her fangs had grazed the inside of her lip.

The water was pleasantly warm, and she slipped into it, grateful for some concealment among strangers. Luna, the Dragonfae woman from before, entered the room with a wooden bucket filled with soaps, washcloths, and sponges. She shook her head at Marianne, saying in a scolding tone, “No, we don’t do that.” 

“Bathe?” Marianne wrinkled her nose at the Dragonfae.

“We bath first, then we go into the pool.” Luna rolled her eyes, baring her teeth at Marianne. She motioned to a dip in the floor to the side where there was a much smaller pool. “I will wash you.”

Marianne sighed, looking at the warm water all around her, then reluctantly left to go where Luna directed her. There was a small ledge over the pool, and Luna placed a folded towel on it.

“Sit here,” said Luna, much like one would tell a small child. “Where are you from that you have no manners?”

“I’ve been this for two hours,” moaned Marianne, gesturing to herself as she sat, her wings twitching. She repeatedly covered herself, embarrassed about being naked, and stared into the small, warm pool her feet now rested in. There was a steady flow of warm water coming from a crack in the wall, and the water flowed over the lip on the far side into another crevice.

Marianne watched as Luna set everything in the bucket onto a low shelf nearby, then she took the bucket to the bigger pool and filled it. The Dragonfae woman went about her business seriously, pouring the bucket over Marianne without warning. She cringed beneath the warm water, even though it felt good.

Luna refilled the bucket, then began with Marianne’s hair, scrubbing a sweet-smelling liquid into it. Whatever was in it tingled and felt amazing. Marianne closed her eyes, decided to enjoy it for the time being because having your hair messed with was always relaxing.

It was strange and embarrassing when Luna began washing her all over after rinsing her hair free of the soap. It appeared this was normal for her because she started talking. “You have a lovely skin tone. Not typical among our people.” Luna began messing with her wings, which was shockingly pleasant. “Your wings have a strange shape to them and color. I’ve never seen wings that shift from purple to pink like this.”

“What does it mean?” Marianne stared into the now soapy pool of water beneath her.

“You are not pure Dragonfae,” replied Luna. “You have other fairy races in you. Maybe Soleil.”

“I don’t know anything,” sighed Marianne.

“I’m sure it was a shock.” Luna took great care, working around Marianne with the sponge and soap. “No one is going to harm you, Marianne.” It was the first time she heard Luna use her name. “You are safe as long as you remain among us.”

Marianne sat for a few minutes in silence, contemplating what was going on around her. These fairies, while vicious when she first saw them, had saved her. They set aside their plans to make sure she was safe. This situation was not what it had appeared like at first.

###

The silence was painful. Bog stood at the edge of the little clearing with the fairy circle, standing still except for the nervous twitch in his wings. He had not heard Marianne for over half an hour. The forest was filled with the sounds of crickets and frogs singing their nightly song.

Dawn had returned with Rey a few minutes earlier and joined Puck and Juniper sitting by the circle in the darkness. They were still waiting for Basil to return, hopefully with enough fairies to rescue Marianne, but Bog was getting worried. From the sound she had been making, the Hunters had forced her into her fairy form. Knowing how much she detested the thought, it hurt to know she had been forced into it.

Marianne was probably terrified of her situation. She had put up a fight, but bring something new in a captive situation would be awful. Everything in him told him to go to her when he heard her scream, calling for help. If they had held in pain in them, he would not have held back. Nothing would have stopped him if she had been hurting.

Bog began pacing, staring into the forest in the direction of the house, clenching and unclenching his hands around his staff. Marianne didn’t want to be a fairy, and she could have that wish easily enough. He could do that for her merely by getting her out of this situation. Sunny would take care of the rest.

He would never see her again, and that was fine. Bog would force himself to forget and move on, busy with his kingdom and his people. It wasn’t like they had a real relationship. A few days together, some feelings he had unwisely allowed free, and…

Bog tried to convince himself he could do it, but his chest filled with a gloomy heaviness, tugging at his heart and throat. He went through the cycle again. Marianne does not want to be a fairy. She does not want to be with you, not really. She would never accept your life, and there is no place for you in hers. You have responsibilities.

Responsibilities.

Bog looked back at his children sitting next to each other. Rey had an arm around her younger brother, who was a full head taller than her. Juniper snuggled across their laps, chewing on Rey’s vest in her sleep. Rey had been the first one, a tiny thin eleven-year-old, sick with the illness that swept through the city that first bad spring. 

###

He heard a tiny, weak voice while scouting out an area he rarely went into. There were new human homes there and a stench that warned him away coming from the freshly manicured yards.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Bog closed his eyes, grimacing as he heard the weak call. He had just turned to fly away from the smell of chemicals, every neuron in his brain warning him of danger. But he heard the cry again. “Mommy! Daddy!”

He couldn’t leave without investigating, and he took a deep breath, heading for the source of the voice. It came from the bushes beneath a bird feeder. A low sobbing came from beneath them, then whimpering.

Bog startled several sparrows, flying past the bird feeder to investigate. A blue jay screeched at him, and he turned and gave it a stern look. The bird fluffed up indignantly but did nothing further. Squirrels ran up and down a nearby tree. Everything seemed normal in the yard, except the stench and the crying of a child.

“Hello?” Bog called, crouching to walk beneath the neatly manicured bushes. There was a space big enough to see everything beneath them, but not enough he could stand fully upright. A rustling sound came from the inside of the bush to his right, a few leaves falling as they dislodged. “Are ye okay?”

There was no answer, just a frightened whimpering sound. Bog rested a hand on an overhead branch, peering into the twisting mass of limbs and branches. “Do ye need help?” He searched with his eyes, not coming any closer. Scaring her would not be good because she might run, and he didn’t want to end up chasing a frightened child.

Bog found her green eyes, staring wide, glistening with tears. “Where are yer parents? Where do ye live? I can help ye get home.”

“I don’t know,” she replied, and Bog saw her shift, her outline momentarily visible, narrow purple wings catching the light behind her. One wing had a hole in it big enough that she would not be able to fly. It appeared something had taken a bite out of it.

Bog frowned, reaching into the burlap bag that hung from his hip. “Are ye hungry?” He had to try a different tactic to lure her out and get some answers. His lunch, a chunk of rabbit jerky, would do the trick. “I have jerky.” He held it up, and the child began moving but appeared indecisive. “My name is Bog. What is your name?”

“Chan-na-rey,” she replied weakly. “Rey.”

“Well, Rey.” Bog tore a bit off one end of the jerky, chewing slowly to release the smell. “Come out, and we will talk. I can take ye back to my colony until we find yer parents.”

“You will?”

“I promise.”

The tiny Dragonfae girl was small for her age. That was the first thing Bog observed as she nervously slid out of the branches and landed on the ground beneath. She crouched, the pale brown tunic she wore smudged with dirt and grass stains. Her torn wing twitched uselessly behind her. There were more rips in her wings, and he grimaced at her thinness and the smears of blood.

She was a mess and had obviously been on her own for some time. She sniffled and coughed, approaching slowly to take the offered food. Bog kneeled to be at her level as she hungrily tore into the piece of meat. She growled happily, as though she had not eaten in some time.

Bog opened his arms to her, “I’ll take ye home with me and get ye cleaned up. When was the last time ye saw yer parents?”

“Two weeks ago,” she didn’t look at him as she ate. “They were sick and left to find medicine.”

“Are ye the only one?” Bog questioned as she walked closer.

“Yes,” replied Rey sadly. “My little brother went to sleep and didn’t wake up.”

“Oh.” Bog blinked, surprised at the way she put it. He would have to take care when he brought her into the castle. She looked ill. “I’ll carry ye.” He shifted forward, and after a moment of hesitation, the little girl went to him, her eyes meeting his, and she appeared to decide he could be trusted. “I won’t let anything happen to ye.”

Bog wrapped his arms around her securely and left as fast as he could. The smell was overpowering, and it was no place for a fairy. Whatever it was, had the stink of death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any errors. My eyes are still blurry from eye strain. :D UGH....


	29. Chosen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog has to explain to a very concerned Dawn exactly why he has five children and why they don't look like him...and if he's just after Marianne to have more kids for him.
> 
> Marianne is dealing with odd requests.
> 
> And Bog sets out to rescue Marianne...from the wrong camp.

“Bog?” Dawn whispered, touching his arm. He turned and nodded to her. “Can we talk?”

“About what?” Bog glanced back at his kids again. “We’re going to get Marianne, Dawn. I promise.”

“Did you tell Marianne you have kids?” Dawn worried her lower lip, and Bog stared at her.

“Remember ye got fangs, Dawn. Ye can cut yer lip if you’re not careful.” He shook his head, then looked at her curiously. “No, why do ye ask? Does Marianne not like kids?”

“No, Marianne’s fine with kids. It’s just that...” Dawn grimaced, looking at the ground, then at Bog again, whispering, “Your kids don’t look like you. I mean, uh.” Her eyes began darting around as though she was having a difficult time phrasing her question. “They have different mothers? I mean, I don’t know how things work for you, but if you’re already with someone, maybe you shouldn’t be with Marianne? She would never be with someone she has to share.”

Bog’s lip curled in astonishment, and he gaped at Dawn as she kept talking. He stared at her in shock, and she fumbled, her golden face turning red. “Bog? You need to talk to Marianne.”

“I am not with anyone, Dawn.” Bog cleared his throat, glancing away from her in embarrassment. “I have never been with anyone.”

“Then how do you have three children?” Dawn’s forehead wrinkled as though she was trying to figure out a complex problem. “Do fairies lay eggs or something?”

“What? Lay eggs?” Bog’s expression shifted with his confusion. “Dawn, we’re just like humans. And I have five children.” He sighed, looking at his hands to pretend to be distracted. “Is that a problem?”

“You have five children?” gasped Dawn. “You aren’t trying to get with Marianne to have more babies, are you?” Her voice rose, and Bog shushed her, reaching out to pat her shoulders.

“Dawn, let’s start from the beginning.” Bog glanced at his kids again, then met Dawn’s eyes. “They are chosen. I chose them as my children, and I am their father, even though they are not related to me. They needed a father, and I chose to take them in.”

“Oh!” Dawn’s eyes popped open wide in realization, and she smiled. “They’re adopted! We call that adoption. That’s so sweet and kind of you.”

“Well, no, it’s not. They needed a father and a family, and I gave it to them. It’s my duty, and they are mine. I would die for each one of them--as annoying as they can be.” Bog drew himself up, smacking his fist into his chest with a loud thump. “I am their father.”

“But you haven’t told Marianne?” Dawn repeated her question. “Boggy, I don’t think she’ll mind, but you need to tell her.”

Bog sighed, lowering himself to be at Dawn’s eye level. “I don’t believe it matters one way or another, Dawn. Your life is different now, but Marianne doesn’t want this.” He gestured to Dawn, and she flicked her wings, nodding. “She doesn’t want me, but it doesn’t matter. We will rescue her, and then we are all getting out of here. Sunny will take care of you and Marianne, and you will never have to be around fairies again.”

Dawn gave Bog a sad look, then stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him as he lifted his arms, unsure of what she was doing. Then she began sobbing, and he put his arms around her shoulders, speaking in a soothing voice he had mastered with his children, “Dawn, it’s for the best.”

“Mariane’ll change her mind. I know she will.” Dawn sniffled. “I don’t want you to go away. I like you, Bog.”

“You’ve only known me a few days,” said Bog gently. “Ye know nothing about me.”

“I know you’re a good person.” Dawn pulled back, looking at him with her eyes gleaming. “I know you are.”

Bog sighed and closed his eyes, grinding his teeth. “We need to get Marianne and get everyone to a safe place. He stepped back and turned away, staring into the forest, his eyes beginning to water. His entire body filled with a numb warmth, and he had to work to settle his breathing.

###

Marianne stared at the trio of Dragonfae women fussing over her. They put a soft white slip on her and took her to another room. One worked on her hair while another carefully filed her nails. The third presented her with sheer outfits in a variety of colors, asking her to choose.

She wasn’t sure what to make of all the attention as Orion stood in the doorway, watching her. His face held no expression, his eyes intense with thought. Marianne sighed and nodded to the woman with the clothing, realizing that they were going to dress her according to their style. 

Each of the fairy women attending to her wore ornate brassieres. They covered what needed to be covered, and that was it. The ones that were offered to Marianne had beautiful metalwork over the cloth in a variety of designs. There was a matching belt made with the same designs and colors, but it reminded her far too much of a slave Leia outfit. These fairies looked great in their similar clothing, but she wasn’t confident how it would look on her.

“Ladies,” Orion called from the door. “Step back a moment. Marrigan is here and needs to see Marianne for a moment.” The trio of women stopped what they were doing and filed out of the room, their heads low. Marianne watched them uncertainly, unsure of what was going on.

“Marrigan.” Orion bowed, and a very old Dragonfae woman shuffled through the entry. She walked hunched over and dressed in colorful robes that dragged the ground. She was grey all over with long, straight white hair. Orion rose and took her free arm, helping her walk.

“Hello,” whispered Marianne in awe. Something about the woman gave her the impression she was in the presence of someone rare and ancient. 

“Hello, my dear.” Marrigan smiled, looking at her with milky white eyes covered with cataracts. There were pale lines of scars on her face, hidden within deep wrinkles. She smiled, showing off short, blunt teeth. The smell of mint and cinnamon hung in the air. “Let me see your hands.”

Marianne stared at her a moment longer before holding out her freshly manicured hands. The elderly fairy took her hands in hers and, even though she was blind, looked hard at Marianne. She smiled, nodding, “Oh, you are definitely a royal.” Marrigan tilted her head in Orion’s direction. “She would be perfect for you if she stays.”

Orion turned a nervous eye to Marianne and shook his head. “I believe that is up to her.”

“What?” Marianne’s brain had the decency to process the statement. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend.”

“I was thinking you would make a strong queen.” Marrigan chuckled. “You would strengthen our bloodlines, and you should remain with us.”

“No.” Marianne pulled her hands back, trembling. She clasped her hands over her mouth in horror. “No.” And she looked at Orion pleadingly. “No!”

“Calm down.” Orion stepped to her side, reached out, then thought better of it. He drew his hands back and bowed to Marianne. “If you want to leave, I will take you back, but not until the morning.”

“That isn’t up to you,” grunted Marrigan, clearly annoyed. “Take her to your father. Allow him to explain our situation and convince her she needs to stay.”

“I do not want to stay,” growled Marianne. “I want to go home. I don’t even want to be a fairy!”

Marrigan gasped,” My dear, why wouldn’t you? Do you understand anything about your people?”

“They aren’t my people!” Marianne screamed, leaping out of the chair. She didn’t get far as Orion grabbed her around the waist.

“Hold on. Marrigan sometimes forgets that’s not how we are anymore,” said Orion calmly. His grip was like iron, but Marianne growled and squirmed anyway. 

“What a rude wench,” snorted Marrigan. “But you should still keep her.”

“We are not keeping her against her will,” moaned Orion. “Thank you for coming, Marrigan.” He bowed to her as Marianne turned and sunk her teeth into his arm. It was all she could think to do. She had teeth, and there was a particular pleasure in feeling them sink through a layer of thick leather. Orion sighed. “Please stop. I’m going to let you go now. Please do not run. You can’t fly, and we live in a cliff for a reason.”

Marianne let go, grumbling as she stepped away from them. “I want to go back.”

“Yes, and I will take you back in the morning, but for now, why don’t you get dressed?” Orion motioned to the clothing laid out for Marianne. He turned his back to her, reaching out to help the scowling elderly fairy walk to the door. 

Marianne sighed. Orion was right—she didn’t have a choice.

###

Bog frowned when he heard the sound of wings behind him. He turned in time to see Basil step out of the fairy circle, assuming full-sized human form instantly. Fairies began appearing behind him, fully armed and in armor. Bog smiled, realizing he had backup, even if they were a scrawny and tired looking group.

“We are with you.” Basil bowed to Bog, and the fairies coming through the fairy circle followed him.

Bog nodded. “Every one of you will be welcome in my colony.”

“And our family members who are too ill to aid you?” One of the other fairies asked cautiously.

“Anyone ye vouch for,” said Bog, rolling his staff in his hand. “I swear it to ye. Pledge yerself to me and follow me.”

“We’ll also have food,” Sunny spoke up, “but you’ll have to trust us.”

“We have no choice,” said another fairy in a somber voice. 

“Here’s the plan.” Bog stepped toward the fairies and began speaking.

###

The smell of roasting meat was strong and made Bog salivate uncontrollably. Charcoal smoke hung heavy in the air. The Hunters had lit the grill and tossed the brisket onto it. They were drinking and sitting around a pole in the center of the front yard. Marianne was tied to the pole with a bag over her head.

Bog squinted, seeing that she wasn’t actually in fairy form. He took a breath, glancing back at Sunny and Basil. Twenty-seven fairies were moving into position in the darkness around the cabin. They weren’t in the best of shape, but what they lacked in health, they made up for in numbers and desperation.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sunny fretted just behind Bog.

“Yes,” grunted Bog. “They want me, and that’s what they’ll get.” He glanced back into the forest for the hundredth time. Dawn was back at the fairy ring with his children. He had left Rey in charge with strict instructions to stay behind. Bog made Puck promise to remain as well. Juniper was thankfully still asleep. When this was over, he promised himself he would gather his kids together and sleep with them safe in his arms.

“I’m going.” Bog took a deep breath, stepping through the trees, his staff glowing. He entered the trees as one but left as a dozen, flying from the back of the house to the front. Shouting filled the air as they saw his duplicates. He remained near the back of the group, the illusions moving of their own accord.

Something was wrong.

Bog growled as he got closer to Marianne, his senses clouded by the smoke from the grill. He bolted back the way he came, his voice splitting the air with a roar, “Retreat!”

It had only taken a few seconds for Bog to realize it wasn’t Marianne. The figure tied to the pole didn’t look right, and his senses did not lie. He could feel an ominous sensation coming from the woman and recognized the Fairy Hunter’s particular energy. Insight told him to flee, and he hoped the others did the same. 

Gunfire echoed behind him as the Hunters shot at his illusions. They would vanish in a moment, but it should buy everyone time to retreat. Bog joined Sunny in the woods, motioning for him to follow as they fled back to the fairy ring.

“Bog, what’s going on?” hissed Sunny, chasing after him. “Where’s Marianne?”

“It was a trap,” growled Bog. “Marianne wasn’t there.”

“But where could she have gone?” Sunny glanced back toward the cabin.

“She escaped,” Bog replied. “We need to search the forest for her!” He said nothing else, realizing he was surrounded by a bunch of fairies who could not see as well in the dark as himself or track by scent. He would have to get his kids to help him. They had to find Marianne before sunrise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, a day off my schedule, but it's up and only ten chapters to go!


	30. Hostiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne is brought to the High King of the hostile colony of Dragonfae, which are becoming less and less of a threat.

Orion was a very patient man—Marianne had to give him respect as he walked her through the halls. By now, she had figured out he was a prince. The kings he referred to were his older brother, a brother-in-law, and his father. He explained how his father was the High King, and each of his children became a king or queen beneath him when they married.

Marianne made it clear to Orion that she had no intentions of remaining, living as a fairy, or having anything to do with fairies. And he listened patiently, not speaking until she had run through her rant several times. Orion politely complimented her on how she looked, and Marianne had blushed, feeling somewhat naked with the long plum and gold-colored cloth swishing around her ankles.

They adorned her with gold and gems befitting a queen, and it further embarrassed her. With Orion escorting her, everyone bowed to both of them, and while she was more comfortable with clothing on, she wished to be back home in a simple t-shirt nightgown, settling in to watch a movie on tv or read a book about the very thing she was living.

“I need you to either take me back or go back and get my sister,” whispered Marianne.

“Marianne, I told you I can’t,” stated Orion in the even voice Marianne had become used to. 

“My sister needs help.” Marianne tilted her head to him as she spoke, trying to impress the urgency of the situation.

“We will see what my father says.” They approached an ornate archway studded with gems, and the guards standing to the sides bowed. Orion did not slow, walking through the arch with his arm around Marianne’s. “Please don’t bite anyone.”

Sheer curtains in silver and blue decorated the throne room, which was a massive cavern that could hold many fairies. The throne sat up high on one end, carved out of the rock. Braziers burned throughout the room, providing dancing light. There was a small gathering near the throne room and a few armed soldiers standing at every entrance.

Marianne cringed toward Orion, her wings twitching of their own accord. “I promise, nobody is going to harm you,” whispered Orion.

“I’m not afraid,” grumbled Marianne. “I’m just nervous.” 

“Orion,” one of the fairies called out as the group split apart. The one addressing them came forward, his arms out. “You must be Marianne.” Judging by the gems dangling from the fairy’s head crown, Marianne assumed he was the High King and bowed politely.

The Dragonfae king looked a lot like Orion, only more mature. Dark blue robes edged in rabbit fur wrapped over gleaming blue armor plating. The other two Dragonfae males wore leather armor more like Orion’s.

“I am not staying,” said Marianne assertively, meeting the king’s eyes. “My sister and my friends are in danger. I need to go back.”

“No.” said the king without hesitation. “You can’t. For now, you will stay here.”

Orion’s grip on her arm tightened, and Marianne gave him a frustrated glance. “Sir.” Marianne took a deep breath, preparing to launch into an argument.

“Marianne, I am High King Aspen, and when we finish speaking, Orion will take a group of men and retrieve your sister and friends.”

“Yes, sir.” Orion’s grip relaxed.

“But first, let me explain why we brought you here.” Aspen circled Marianne and Orion, looking her over. “You are of royal blood, and that puts you in danger. The neighboring colony is holding my wife, Orion’s mother, hostage, along with my daughter, daughter-in-law, and one of my grand-babies. I have been told you’ve been in contact with the Everliving Pine Colony.”

Marianne nodded. “Yes, they told us that you are trying to kill them all off.”

“That is true.” Aspen grimaced, his grey face contorting. “We’ve tried to resist, but our mutual neighbors, the Verdant Glade colony, are the ones holding our queens. We do not know where they are, and we need our queens alive. They have forced us to attack our neighbors and control us.”

“Oh.” Marianne nodded slowly at the simple explanation for their behavior toward Basil’s colony. “So you’re the slaves now, and the other colony is unnecessary.”

“We have half of their children and are taking care of them.” Aspen stopped in front of Marianne, twitching his long black wings. “We were on good terms with them before this happened. We had no idea the Glade colony would turn treacherous.”

“You can’t get them back?” Marianne frowned as everything slotted into place. They weren’t the bad guys here. Either that or they were feeding her a story. However, nothing she had seen had supported that. Everyone had treated her kindly.

“We have given up on ever getting them back,” stated Aspen sadly. “We only want to ensure their safety and lives. We have no idea where they are in the Glade colony.”

Marianne made a face at the king, thinking about it. “You are just going to let them treat you as slaves? There are so many of you.”

“We can not risk their lives.” Aspen shook his head, his lip curling as his eyes shifted away from her. “Which is why we hope you will choose to stay with us.”

“I’m not who you’re looking for,” said Marianne sadly. “I don’t want to be a queen and,” she hesitated, having said the words so many times, “I don’t want to be a fairy.”

Aspen stared at her, as did every other fairy in front of her. Their faces hid nothing, each one looking shocked and dismayed. She felt a gentle hand land on her shoulder, and Orion stepped in front of her. “I know that’s not what you wanted to hear,” he said to the assembled, “but it is her choice. I’ll go back and bring her friends here. How many are there?”

Marianne sighed, feeling like she had done something severely wrong. She had said those words many times, but their situation and desperation made her words sound selfish, even if she knew they were right. She couldn’t live here. There was no way she wanted to be a part of this colony. 

“There’s my sister, a Dragonfae like myself, and Sunny. I think he said he’s a Pappilon? And Basil, from the Pine colony. Please, can’t you do something for them? Take them in?” Marianne’s anger had long cooled after hearing the plight of the missing queens. These Dragonfae didn’t seem to be evil or anything. They could help if they wanted to.

“We were told to let them die,” said Aspen, barely loud enough to be heard. “I don’t know what they did to the Glade colony that they put this plan into motion, but it must have been severe.”

“How do you know your queens are still alive?” Marianne glanced around the room.

“Once a month, they take one of our intuitives with them, and they confirm that all four of them are alive and well,” replied Orion. “They are blindfolded, so they do not know the location. None of our people are allowed into the Glades, and they fiercely guard their border. There’s no way in.”

“This is enough talk for now. We will get your friends and bring them here, and in the morning, we will talk further.” Aspen raised a clawed hand to dismiss everyone, then turned back to his son. “Take a squad and take care.”

“Yes, sir.” Orion bowed to his father, moving his hand off Marianne’s shoulder.

“Marianne, I hope you will reconsider, but we will not force you to remain with us. That wouldn’t be right.” Aspen sighed, running a hand over his jaw. His wings twitched as he added, “We’ll see you to your room for the night. If you require anything, there will be guards available to bring it to you.”

“It will be okay.” Orion turned, gently nudging Marianne in the direction of a couple of towering Dragonfae guards holding halberds. “I know this is a shock, but I swear we won’t harm you.”

“If I thought you would, I wouldn’t ask you to get my sister, would I?” Marianne pointed out, glancing at Orion. She gave him a weak smile, and he nodded. Marianne went with the guards, nipping her lip once again. The iron taste of blood filled her mouth, and she sighed. Hopefully, she made the right choice.

###

Bog kept an eye on Juniper. The little Naiad had woken when he returned to camp and was entirely too awake. She clung to him, and he had no choice but to bring her with him as they circled the campsite, searching for any signs of Marianne’s scent.

Puck and Rey had instructions to keep within sight as they moved slowly, walking instead of flying to avoid attracting too much attention. Light from the cabin filtered through the trees, and they could hear the humans moving around. Sunny said they would remain there and move into the forest when it became light. Basil’s disappointed people had retreated into the nearby woods in fairy form to wait and see what happened.

Bog was their king now, and he left Sunny in charge because Sunny knew a lot about Hunters and their methods. The worst part for Bog was seeing all those hungry, starving faces and knowing they could not hold out for long. They were weak. It was only a matter of time if they did not move somewhere that offered far more resources.

“Over here,” Puck called out in a whisper. “I smell a lot of Dragonfae.”

Bog growled, his wings rattling before he could stop them. Dragonfae meant that the hostile colony was nearby. He had hoped to avoid interaction with them until it was time. If they had Marianne, he would have no choice but to go in,--most likely by himself.

“There are so many of them.” Bog walked into a cloud of scents, where it appeared a large number of Dragonfae had passed through and perched in a massive old oak tree. He looked up, realizing the branches rose far over the treetops. They had been watching the cabin, and when he heard Marianne earlier, she must have escaped, and they took her with him.

He huffed, anger burning within, welling up into a rage that shifted his mind into a whirlwind of assumptions. Either her body had reacted to fear, and she went to standard fairy size, or Angela forced the change. Bog inhaled and began walking away from the cabin, seeking a clear trail. They would have flown back together, and it was likely they did not know as much Drachemy as he did.

Every fairy had access to their abilities, but Drachemy allowed amplification and powerful direction that could not be achieved in a lifetime. One fairy with knowledge and the right abilities could wipe out a colony within minutes, but he would only have those minutes to use it to that extent. Bog had to be careful with his choice of how to handle the hostile colony.

“This way.” Bog motioned for Puck and Rey to follow him. Each held a weapon with a gem in it like his own. They had their own abilities, but they were not as strong as Bog’s. Even Juniper’s little sword held a gem. He glanced at her, realizing she put him at a severe disadvantage. Granted, at their present size, a swarm of Dragonfae wouldn’t be too much of a problem. Bog would simply electrocute them all.

They wandered for a while before catching the scent trail. A short distance from the cabin, they reached a ravine, and Bog stopped, staring out over it. He could fly over it easily enough, but Juniper would follow. He needed Puck and Rey and couldn’t leave either of them behind with her.

“Are you looking for her?” A small voice called out, and he turned to see tiny gleaming eyes in a nearby tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW.. everything is BACK to normal so enjoy a chapter! Only 9 more to go! How will this all unfold? :D  
> Okay, originally, the Dragonfae WERE the aggressors, but it just didn't fall into place as something else developed. Of course, this was also supposed to be a 10k short story.


	31. How I Feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne and Bog are reunited!

Bog growled, his attention on the eyes peering at him from the nearby tree. There were at least twenty of them and he could smell the unique scent of his race. “Do you have Marianne?”

“We do.” A silhouetted figure flew to the end of a branch, coming closer to be heard. “Are you the trespassing king?”

“Look, we are just passing through.” Bog’s wings twitched, hitting his back armor with a rattle. “We are not invading your land. Bring Marianne to me.”

“She is not safe here.”

“I am not comfortable with yer people holding her.” He rose, setting his staff in front of him firmly. “She is my queen and if you do not return her, I will come and get her.”

“She didn’t say she was anyone’s queen, but she did say she didn’t want to be a fairy, so you’re lying.” Orion growled from the darkness, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. “How do I know you aren’t going to keep her captive? She didn’t even mention you.”

Bog winced at his words, then nodded. “She should be returned to the human world which is where she wants to live, leaving all this fairy nonsense behind her.”

“Why would you lie?”

“Wouldn’t you if someone you care about is in the hands of people who you know to be kidnappers and murders?” Bog’s voice dropped into a growl, and his children growled around him, Juniper hiding between his legs with her sword out, waving.

Orion began laughing, flying to a higher branch. He walked across it, his eyes locked on Bog. “Why did you bring kids with you?”

Bog continued growling, watching the Dragonfae as they began filing out onto the branch. He couldn’t figure out their intentions, but needed to get to Marianne. 

“Marianne asked me to get her sister, Dawn, a Dragonfae, Sunny, a papillon, and Basil, one of the Pine colony fairies and to bring them to our colony.” Orion stopped walking, twitching his ebony wings. “She did not mention you or those three.”

“She doesn’t know that I’m back and these three were not supposed to be here.” Bog relaxed, but still frowned as he spoke. Marianne gave him information in a short amount of time, but he remembered what Basil said about them. “These are my children and I care about Marianne.” sighed Bog. “I know she’ll never be with me, but I need to make sure she’s safe.”

“Okay, then, we need to get the others and you may all accompany us back to our colony, where we can talk.” Orion crouched on the branch. “However, you’ll need to be small… how do you even do that? What trick is there to being human sized as Dragonfae?”

“It’s a secret,” snorted Bog. “We’ll be back.” He turned, his heart racing as he realized he was taking a chance in trusting this Dragonfae he didn’t know. However, this Dragonfae also knew nothing about him and what he could do.

###

Marianne paced over the thick fur rugs on the floor of the living room. She had been taken to a room with a large, nicely decorated living room and three bedrooms. The walls were rock, like every other part of the colony she had seen, but the floors were covered in rugs. She wasn’t sure what animal they came from, but they were soft beneath her bare feet and it was a comfort to walk over them.

She explored each of the bedrooms. They were identical with round wood beds, each one made up with soft sheets and heavy blankets. There were two chairs in each room and a small bookshelf filled with an assortment of books. Golden globes hung from nets inside the rooms, providing a gentle, soothing light. The rooms were just the right temperature and there was a fireplace in the living room with strange bricks she had been instructed to place inside if it became cold. 

Marianne couldn’t sleep. She had been told everything would be fine repeatedly, but until her sister was here, she would remain awake. There was no way to tell how much time had passed, other than a growing sense of dread. 

Then there was a knock at the door and Orion’s voice came from the other side, “Marianne, if you’re awake, I’ve brought your friends here.”

“I’m up.” Marianne rushed to the door as it opened. Dawn rushed through, grabbing her with an excited squeal.

“Oh, Marianne! I’m so glad to see you’re safe!” Dawn threatened to squish all the air out of her as Marianne hugged her back, so happen to see her sister. Then she looked up to see that besides Sunny and Basil, Bog was there, silently following the others in with two more fairies she didn’t know and a child asleep in his arms. “Bog came back.” Dawn added in a pleased whisper, letting her sister go to look at the room.

Marianne only stood still for a moment, realizing several things. First, her heart stopped, then began racing as she inhaled in shock. Second, she needed these fairies to understand without a doubt, she would not stay with them. Third, Bog needed to know how she felt.

Her feet moved as though in a dream and she crossed the room, noticing the bewildered look on his face. Bog turned, handing the child to the girl standing next to him. Marianne flew at him, her feet leaving the ground momentarily. 

“Bog! What are you doing here?” Marianne slammed into him and he caught her, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she didn’t wait for him to answer. Her lips met his and their situation faded around them. She couldn’t fight the tears that streamed down her face.

He didn’t answer, kissing her back, lingering on her lips. A gentle hum filled the air and after a moment, she realized it came from her wings. Orion cleared his throat next to them, glancing away.

“I’ll leave you all alone. If you need anything, ask a guard for it or ask for me.” Orion bowed, slipping out the door behind them. 

Bog waited for the door to close before turning to Marianne and asking, “Are ye okay? There isn’t anything strange going on here, is there?”

“I don’t trust them,” said Basil quietly, staring at the door.

“Neither do I.” Sunny shivered, glancing at Dawn, who was making herself comfortable in a soft chair in front of the fireplace.

“Orion didn’t tell you?” Marianne wince, biting her lip again.

Bog frowned, reaching out with a finger to wipe the spot off blood off Marianne’s lip. “We’ll get ye back to human again soon. I’m sorry ye have to go through this.”

“Da,” whispered Rey. “What do we do?” Marianne blinked, watching Bog turn to the girl.

“Put Juniper in a bed.” He motioned to one of the open doors. “You and Puck go to sleep. I’ll join ye later.” Bog turned back to Marianne, resting one hand on her shoulder. “These are my kids, Rey, Puck, and Juniper. They came looking for me and snuck onto Sunny’s car. I came back to get them.”

Marianne nodded, pulling away from him, realizing he hadn’t come back for her at all. And he had kids? He had lied to her? She bit her lip again and groaned, rolling her eyes in frustration.

“Marianne.” Bog reached for her and she stepped further away. “We need to talk. Privately.”

“I don’t think we do.” Marianne frowned, then turned away, walking toward her sister.

“I need to explain.” Bog walked after her, glancing at Sunny and Basil. “This is important.”

“Marianne.” Bog attempted to talk to her again and she didn’t answer. She was too angry at being lied to, disappointed that Bog turned out to be like every other man in her life—unreliable, liars who said only what she wanted to hear. “Fine, if ye don’t want to talk about this privately, I did not lie to ye, well, I did, but not about this.”

“I don’t care.” Marianne growled, trying to figure out where to go as Bog followed her.

“They are my kids,” Bog growled back. “I don’t want them hearing me ever saying otherwise.” He cornered her and she turned to glare at him. “They are chosen, or adopted, as Dawn told me ye call it. I have five of them and I lied to ye about my age. I’m twenty-six.”

Marianne made a face at him, then she couldn’t help it. She began laughing, relieved by his admission. “You lied about your age? Why would you lie about that!”

“Well, ye expected me to be old?” Bog scowled. “I was annoyed at ye.”

“You’re younger than me!” Marianne howled with laughter, encouraged by Bog’s bewildered expressions as his mouth twitched, lips parting as though he was trying to think of something and failing. “I love you!” She laughed, then gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth, staring at him as silence fell over the room.

###

I love you.

The words startled Bog and he stared at her. Marianne said nothing, her eyes wide. Bog took a step back, feeling everyone in the room’s eyes burning into his back. “Talk privately?” he requested, motioning to one of the bedrooms.

Marianne nodded, biting her lip once again and sighing. He waited for her to lead the way, for the first time noticing what she was wearing. From the moment he saw her, he only looked at her face, but now, she walked in front of him. Her walk was awkward, not accustomed to the natural way Dragonfae stood and her hips swayed, sending the sheer plum and gold skirt falling from her belt shifting and molding to her butt and legs.

Her wings twitched, covering most of her bare back, the color shifting from purple to bright pink in the light. She was a Dragonfae, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen and he wanted desperately to make her his. But that was her choice. Bog reminded himself once again; she didn’t want to be a fairy.

Marianne walked across the room as Bog closed the door. She kept her back to him, wings still twitching with natural movement, displaying her unease. Bog said nothing, watching her, waiting for her to talk. After a moment, Marianne turned, her head down and mouth set into a thin line. “I uh, said that and I can’t take it back.”

“I can forget ye did,” mumbled Bog, remaining by the door. Why did she have to be so confusing and so stunning? He watched her run her hands up her arms, her nails manicured in a typical Dragonfae style, filed to points. They had been painted gold and glowed in the soft light coming from the globes above. Bog tried not to stare, swallowing as he waited for some response. “I can try.”

“But I don’t want you to,” sighed Marianne, taking a step closer. The long layer of sheer cloth serving as a covering over her hips shifted and swayed distractingly. “Would you have come back to see me? Like you promised?”

“I would.” Bog nodded, letting her come closer instead of going to her. “Once. Because I promised.”

Marianne stopped in front of him, tilting her head to meet his eyes. She stood in silence and his wing tips hit the door. “I guess this isn’t so bad, but I just don’t want to live like this.” Marianne grimaced, dropping her hands to gesture to herself. “Do you see what they dressed me in? I feel like I’m on display.”

“It’s befitting a queen,” said Bog, bowing his head. Marianne smiled, reaching up to lay her hands on the sides of his head. She was much taller and it was easy for her to touch him. He remained with his head bowed, smiling as she began running her fingers over his head leaves. They crinkled beneath her fingertips and her touch felt overwhelmingly pleasant. He could have stood there forever.

Then she stood on her toes, rising up to kiss his forehead. The next few minutes passed in a blur of warmth and little thought as her arms dropped around his shoulders and she leaned against him. Their lips met and his knees weakened, threatening to give out as she pushed him back against the door, kissing him deeply.

Her hands were all over him and everywhere they touched, they left a lingering warmth that seared and burned. The confusing thoughts left and all that was left was Marianne in his arms, as natural as if they had always been together. Bog went with it, loosening up to wrap his arms around her and hold her close. Whatever happened from here on, at least he would have a cherished memory of this moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo... together again!


End file.
